The Public Affairs of Private Relationships
by Cithara
Summary: With the growing feeling of hostility towards Slytherins after the war, Ron and Harry decide that marrying Draco and Severus might go some way to counteracting it. While Harry and Severus seem content simply to shag each other's brains out, Ron and Draco embark on something that might become more meaningful for them both.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** So I went searching for a Ron/Draco marriage fic to settle down with the other day and I just couldn't seem to find one. So, as is usually the case with me, I decided to write one myself. This is primarily a Ron/Draco story, but will have a good dose of Snarry smut thrown in for good measure. It's all written and I'll be uploading every couple of days.

* * *

Chapter 1

This, Ron thought as he stood in the poky little room above the Leaky Cauldron, was not quite the conversation he had been expecting to have. It had been odd enough to find Draco Malfoy living in such comparatively ignoble circumstances, but to find a man who resembled very little of the boy he had been at school with was enough to throw him completely.

"It seems a strange thing to come and propose," the blond said as he looked up from the little writing table.

"Well, propose is the right word," Ron said, trying to inject a little levity into the situation.

"Please don't try and be glib, it doesn't suit you," Draco said, but the words came with a sigh rather than a sneer. "Let me see if I fully understand this bizarre idea of yours."

"Well, it's mine and Harry's. Actually it's really all Harry, I just – "

"Don't interrupt," Draco said with a mild imitation of a glare. "You and Potter have got it into your rather thick skulls that the best way to counteract the growing hostility towards Slytherins is if I marry you and Severus marries Potter. Have I got that right?"

"In a nutshell," Ron said, willing to concede that when said aloud it sounded truly preposterous.

It had sounded just so when Harry had first put the idea forward, but Hermione had jumped on it, declaring it be his best idea to date. Ron had privately thought the whole was bonkers, but that Severus and Draco would never go for it anyway and that the whole thing would all end up being a moot point. Still, he had to jump through the relevant hoops so he could tell Harry and Hermione that he had done his part and then could be left in peace.

"And how did you decide who gets whom?" Draco said, slinging an arm over the back of his chair. "Did you draw straws?"

"Well, Harry was pretty keen on the professor. He and Snape have…been dancing around one another for the last couple of years. They're always flirting whenever they're at a Ministry function or – "

"Well, I wouldn't know about that," said Draco curtly, "as I'm not invited to such things these days."

"That's the point," said Ron, pulling out the second chair from underneath the table and sitting opposite Draco. "You and a lot of other Slytherins are being treated like second-class citizens. There's a growing feeling of bitterness and resentment and Harry's worried – well we're _all_ worried – that we need to do something about it before it gets out of hand."

"And how does me marrying you help that? Or Severus marrying Potter?"

Ron ran a hand through his hair and said with a sigh, "Whether you or I like it or not, Harry and I are probably the two most prominent people in the wizarding world, it's a hangover from the bloody war. You and Severus are the two most prominent Slytherins that the public still hear of regularly – "

"That the public feel free to revile and abuse whenever they damn well feel like it," Draco interjected.

"Exactly," Ron said, beginning to feel frustrated. "You and Snape are hardly having an easy time of it, are you? Despite the fact that you were both exonerated and pardoned you still encounter hostility on a daily basis, and it's the same for lots of former Slytherins. This could turn into a serious issue if we don't do something about it."

"And you think us marrying will sort it?" Draco asked, looking far from convinced.

"I think it'll go a fair way to helping, yes. Mine and Harry's profiles are so big that our every action is commented upon. Think what people will say when they hear that we're marrying two people that they're ambivalent about at best. I know it sounds big-headed and pompous, but marrying us will make people think twice about you and consequently other Slytherins too."

"That's a pretty big bloody leap."

"I know," Ron conceded. "And there's a chance that it won't do a damn thing, that people will just think me and Harry are a bit tapped in the head and everything will carry on as normal. But," Ron said forcefully, "there's also a chance that it could change people's perceptions, that we could alter things for the better."

Draco looked at Ron carefully, a reluctance about his manner that told Ron the man was fighting his mind's desire to relent to logic. "What sort of marriage are we talking about here?" he asked eventually, clearly thinking that the practical route was the best to take.

"The usual kind, I suppose," said Ron with a shrug. "We wouldn't have to go down the traditional route with fidelity clauses and binding contracts but it would be a wizarding marriage. We'd only have to be married a year, two at most and then we could go our separate ways, say we just weren't as compatible as we thought."

"And while we're married, I assume we'll be living together?" Draco said, obviously feeling bolstered by retreating behind practicality.

"Well yeah, it would look a bit odd if we didn't." Ron looked around the room and felt an awkward blush creep up his neck as he said, "We can live at mine. We can't really move into a pub."

"So sorry," Draco drawled, "but this is all I can afford at the moment."

"I wasn't having a dig," Ron said, but Draco waved his hand dismissively. "I have a place in the wizarding quarter of Bath. It's…well it's rather nice," he said, feeling embarrassed at the shift in the dynamics of their relationship. He wasn't used to being the one with money, but the huge sum the Ministry had granted him for his part in the war was far from diminishing.

"Bath, very upmarket," Draco said dryly.

"There's plenty of room for the two of us. You'd have your own room, your own space. We'd just leave each other alone I guess, see how we get along. And Bath's nice, you could spend your days – "

"What? Lounging elegantly around coffee shops?" Draco asked, his eyes flashing. "It might interest you to know that I hardly live the life of a pampered playboy. I work three jobs just to pay the rent on this crappy room and feed myself. Don't you worry yourself, I won't be playing the part of the kept husband."

"I didn't mean that," Ron said with a sigh. "Sorry, I didn't think."

"Didn't think someone like me would stoop low enough to work minimum wage jobs? Yeah well…it's not like I've got a choice. Every last Malfoy asset was seized in case you forgot, and it's not exactly easy to come by well-paid jobs these days. I take what I can get."

"I really didn't mean to cause you any offense," Ron said, trying to look as sincere as he felt.

Draco looked at him for a moment before giving a relenting sigh and saying, "Fine. I suppose you can't be blamed for stuffing your overly large feet in your mouth constantly."

Ron grinned, pleased that there was a small glimmer left of the boy he remembered. Draco's shoulders slumped a little and he got up and moved to the dressing table under the window. He grabbed a bottle and a couple of glasses and brought them back over with him. He sat back down and poured them both a generous measure, pushing the glass towards Ron before raising his own to his lips.

"Cheers," Ron said, taking a sip. It certainly wasn't the expensive stuff, that was for sure, but it was palatable enough.

"This…marriage," Draco said, his lip curling slightly on the word, "would be a wizarding one?"

"It would look better if it was."

"That means it would have to be consummated," Draco said bluntly, and Ron felt the tips of his ears heat.

"Um…yeah. Oh…fuck…I didn't even stop to consider if you were gay. Shit, what a fucking idiot I am. I mean it's obvious Snape is; he and Harry have been giving each other the come-on for months, he'd leap at the chance to jump Harry's bones, but – "

"I _am_ gay," Draco interrupted, looking rather exasperated.

"Oh, well that's something. Still…it doesn't mean for a second that you'd find me…you know…" Ron trailed off, taking a large gulp of his drink for want of something to do.

"Oh yes, because you're so very troll-like," Draco said, rolling his eyes. "I never realised you were gay."

"Well, I'm bi, actually," Ron said, thinking with a degree of fondness about the summer he had spent figuring that out.

"Well, that means that Granger isn't ruled out of future bliss. Why haven't you put a ring on her finger?" Draco asked, crossing one long leg over the other.

"Me and 'Mione aren't suited. We figured that out pretty quickly, with only minimal damage to our friendship, thank Merlin." He drained the rest of his glass and set it on the table, then said, "Look, I really didn't expect you to say yes, at least…not straight away. I'll go, give you some time to think about it. Drop me an owl when you figure out what your answer is."

He rose to his feet and Draco followed suit, frowning as he said, "What kind of marriage would you want?"

The question blindsided Ron a little. He hadn't really given it any kind of thought if he was honest. He was just going along with this hare-brained scheme and doing his duty, trying to do his bit to make sure that the wizarding world didn't inadvertently slip into a breeding ground for bitter resentment and blind prejudices to fester.

"I don't know," he said honestly. "Marriage…has always been important to me, it isn't something that should be done lightly, even if it is only for show. I'd…I'd want to be a good husband, I'd want us to be happy…or at least as happy as we could be in a fake marriage. I suppose…I suppose I'd want us to do things together, you know…like attend functions or just go to dinner. I don't think I'd want us to just live completely separate lives, it would be nice if we could fit into each other's somehow I guess. I…I'm rambling, aren't I?"

"A little," said Draco with a nod, "but thankfully it isn't indecipherable. And what about sex?"

"What about it?" Ron asked, wishing he could control his damned blushes.

"Well, how frequently are you going to want it?"

"I'm not going to be some bloody old-fashioned tyrant demanding my conjugal rights," Ron said, feeling mildly offended. "As you say, we'll have to consummate the marriage…after that…we can see. Nothing has to be set in stone."

"And if I don't want to sleep with you after that, what then? Will you go outside our marriage for it?"

"No," said Ron, not needing to consider the question. "I meant what I said – marriage is important to me and I'd rather not violate the bonds of it. It's hardly like I'm gagging for it, I can do without. Besides, I'm up to my neck in my studies at the moment, I barely have the time for a sandwich these days, let alone tramping around bars looking for a quick shag. What about you? Will you go outside the marriage for sex?"

"I hardly think it will be an issue," Draco said, his cheeks flushing slightly as he busied himself with rearranging a bunch of papers on the writing desk. He took a deep breath and looked up again, saying, "You'll have my answer by the end of the week."

Ron nodded and headed for the door, wondering how Harry was faring with his task.

* * *

"I always suspected you'd sustained brain injuries during the war. Your aftercare really was appalling."

"Oh come on, you think it's a good idea, I know you do."

"I think it's a preposterous idea, quite possibly the worst one you've ever had," Severus said, brushing past Harry to get to his ingredients cabinet.

"Oh I've had far worse, I'm sure," Harry said with a grin, folding his arms and leaning against the bookcase.

"Get off those you wretched boy, there are a number of first editions that you're lolloping all over," Severus said, giving his shoulder a hard thump as he moved back to his workbench, a jar of lizard entrails in his hands.

Harry did as he was told and moved to stand beside Severus at the workbench, leaning forward on his fists and eyeing Severus out of the corner of his eye. "Just think about it, you can finally get in my pants, like you've wanted to for months."

"You certainly think a lot of yourself, Potter," Severus said, refusing to look up from the guts he was dissecting. "Besides, one hardly needs a marriage license to engage in a long, hard fuck."

"Don't say things like that, I'll never walk out of here with my dignity intact," Harry moaned, feeling his trousers tighten uncomfortably.

"What makes you think I'm going to let you anyway?" Severus asked smoothly, tilting his head to look at Harry slyly.

"See," Harry said triumphantly. "You _do_ want to shag me senseless, and quite honestly I would _love_ it if you would. What better opportunity than this? We can counteract the growing bad feeling against Slytherins, raise your profile, get you into a much better lab than this one, get better funding for your potions _and_ fuck each other's brains out for a year or so."

"And where would we live? Have you considered _any_ of the practicalities?" Severus asked, laying his knife down and looking at Harry with the same look he had always worn when he considered Harry to be being particularly stupid.

"Of course I have! Give me some credit. I'd hardly come bounding in here with an idea I just had yesterday!" _It was the day before yesterday_ , Harry added mentally, trying not to smirk. "We'll live at mine, we can find you a decent lab space to rent and you can ask Malfoy to come and be your assistant. We both know you need one and Merlin knows the man could do with a decent wage. I saw him last week and he looked ready to keel over. We'll shag like bunnies whenever we feel the urge, have separate bedrooms, our own space and pretty much carry on exactly like we're doing now, just with great sex to break up the monotony."

"Do you ever get tired of the sound of your own voice?" Severus asked in a drawl.

"Not really," Harry said cheekily. "Look, it's a good arrangement, you know it is. We could be live-in fuck buddies."

"And that's all you'd want?" Severus asked, his eyes narrowing. "No strings?"

"No strings, I promise. I'm hardly looking for happily ever after."

"And what makes you think I'd want to live in Grimmauld? Festering hellhole that it is."

"Because it isn't a festering hellhole anymore. I've done it up really nicely and it's bloody massive. You can have a whole floor to yourself and not be bothered by me for weeks on end if you don't want to be."

"Apart from when you come pawing at my door begging me to fuck you raw."

Harry smirked and moved a little closer, saying, "How do you know it won't be the other way around?"

Severus matched the facial expression and moved to press Harry into the workbench, resting a hand either side of him. "Because, Mr Potter," he said smoothly, "I am not a hormone-riddled twenty-something who can't control their desires."

"No," Harry said, arching his hips up to press his groin into Severus', "you're a forty-something man who has wanted to fuck me into the middle of next week for ages. I'm betting you're not just going to want to do it the once."

"You're a cocky little sod," Severus said, his eyes narrowing as Harry continued to move his hips in small circles.

"I know, but you can't tell me I'm wrong. So, what do you say to making an honest man of me?"

* * *

Ron sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He glanced up at the clock and saw that it was approaching one in the morning. It was his own stupid fault of course; he'd left it far too late to start his essay and now he was having to work like a madman to make sure he met the deadline.

He loved training to be a Healer, and he hadn't once questioned if it was the right path for him, but he would never love the pressures of academia. The course was tough, and they had lost around a third of the original intake. It was intense, full-on and very demanding, but Ron was loving every minute of it. The essays he could well do without, but needs must he supposed, and he just had to grit his teeth and get on with them.

He loved the practical side to his training. He worked in St Mungo's three days a week, shadowing Healer O'Brien who was a force to be reckoned with. She was fierce and didn't suffer fools gladly, but she was brilliant at her job and Ron felt that he was learning more from her than in all his lectures and seminars put together.

He enjoyed being on the wards too, and he liked the interactions he was able to have with the patients. He knew that a lot of people felt uncomfortable around the sick or injured, but he didn't. He liked to be able to sit and listen to their stories, to speak with their families where possible, and he found the pastoral side to Healing just as important as the medical side.

"Time to call it a day…or a night," he muttered into the silence. He sorted through his papers and stacked his textbooks neatly for when he would need them the following day and sat back in his chair, easing his neck back and forward.

The library in his home, which doubled up as his study, was probably his favourite room in the house. It was cosy and warm, and the soft blues and greys of the wallpaper always soothed him. There were a couple of comfortable armchairs in front of the fire and a small wireless was placed in the corner on a pretty antique table that Ron had stumbled upon at a flea market.

He loved his home, it was the sort of place he had always imagined himself living in. It was a three-storey townhouse in the heart of wizarding Bath, modest but spacious. There was a large, airy kitchen, pantry and dining room on the ground floor, a beautiful living room and his beloved library-cum-study on the first floor, then three ensuite bedrooms on the second floor.

Harry and Hermione were frequent visitors, along with George and Ginny, both of whom he had grown significantly closer to after the war. They had both hinted, at one time or another, that they would have liked to move in with him, but he had enjoyed living on his own, enjoying his own company.

He padded softly up to his bedroom, running his hand along the smooth, polished surface of the bannister. The house had needed a bit of work when he'd first bought it, but Harry and Hermione had been on hand to help out with both elbow grease and magic. It had taken a while, but it was now the home he had always envisioned.

He flopped down on his large, four-poster bed, staring up at the canopy, feeling as though he had rubbed sandpaper over his eyes. He was working up the energy to strip himself of his clothes when he heard a knocking sound at the window. He pushed himself up onto his elbows and saw a small brown owl scratching to be let in.

He made his way over the window and opened it, accepting the letter and shooing the bird away, saying, "Go down to the kitchen, you'll find something down there."

He opened the letter, fairly sure that he recognised the handwriting. Sure enough, it was from Draco, and Ron scanned the brief missive a couple of times before the words sank in.

 _Dear Ron,_

 _I have given your proposal a great deal of thought and, while it still rings ludicrously in my head, I have to concede that I can see the potential of such a union. I am therefore writing to tell you that I accept. If convenient, I shall call upon you tomorrow afternoon at 4 o'clock and we can iron out the details._

 _Yours,_

 _Draco._

It was perhaps the most cordial communication Ron had ever had with the man and he wondered yet again at how much Draco had changed. Still, he had accepted, that was the main thing. Now all he had to concern himself with was the marriage itself.

Severus had accepted Harry, unsurprisingly. The plan was that if Draco agreed there would be a joint wedding with only a few guests but open to the press. Harry had contacts in several of the newspapers and they would be only too thrilled to attend and report upon the weddings of the year, perhaps even the decade.

Ron rubbed at the growing stubble on his jaw and decided it could all wait until the morning. He needed to collapse into bed and drift into unconsciousness; the time for considering marriage to Draco Malfoy could wait for now.

* * *

 **AN:** Well, I hope you enjoyed the first part. Please let me know.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

If Ron had to smile for one more bloody picture, he was going to ram someone's camera down their throat. He knew it was necessary, he knew he and Harry had encouraged it in fact, but it didn't mean he had to like it.

He grabbed a glass of champagne from a floating tray and sipped it, thankful that the photographers had migrated back over to Harry and Severus. Honestly, he thought as he glanced across at them, couldn't they manage to keep their hands off each other for one second? They were trying to be discreet, but hands kept disappearing under robes and they kept smirking at one another knowingly. Ron briefly wondered if they'd managed to have a go at one another before today, but something about the anticipatory look in Harry's eyes told him perhaps they hadn't.

He took another sip and shifted his attention to his new husband, who was standing in the bay window, speaking quietly with Hermione. The man looked very handsome in his navy blue dress robes, his blond hair a little longer than it had been when he was younger, now just brushing the edge of his jaw. He had been sombre but polite and had worn his most charming smile when posing for the pictures for the papers.

Hermione smiled at something Draco said then peered over his shoulder and excused herself to go and speak with Harry. Ron took his opportunity to finally have a moment alone with the man, and he crossed the room to stand next to him. They exchanged polite smiles and Draco sat down at the window seat, Ron following suit.

"Long day eh?" Ron asked, crossing his long legs at the ankles.

"Mm. Not quite the wedding day most would picture I suppose," Draco said with a sigh. "Would you just look at those two?" he said, nodding towards Harry and Severus. "They're like oversexed teenagers. I feel very sorry for their neighbours, they'll be hearing some ungodly sounds tonight."

Ron snorted and said, "I'm pretty sure Harry has some seriously strong wards around Grimmauld, silencing charms included."

"There is a God," Draco drawled.

"You know, I think we've stuck around here long enough to satisfy our obligations. We can do a bunk if you fancy?"

Draco cast his eye around the room and nodded, saying, "Yeah, I wouldn't mind getting out of here. My face will crack if I have to smile for one more of those arsing photographers."

"My thoughts exactly," Ron said with a laugh.

They said their goodbyes, stopping for one last picture for the Prophet, both gritting their teeth and smiling convincingly. They shared wry smiles with Harry and Severus, the only two people who could fully understand their situation, then apparated from the Ministry registry office straight to Ron's house.

He had keyed the wards to Draco's magic the week before and had given the man the grand tour at the same time. They had also sat down and had a proper talk about the way things were going to play out between them, which seemed to serve as a comfort to them both.

"Drink?" Ron asked as they settled themselves in the sitting room.

"Please," Draco said, removing his heavy dress robes, leaving him in smart black trousers and a white cotton shirt. He unbuttoned the cuffs and rolled his sleeves up, accepting the glass of brandy Ron handed him with a nod of thanks.

"All your things arrived this morning," Ron said, taking a seat on the dove-grey sofa across from Draco. "They're up in your room but don't worry, I haven't touched them."

"I couldn't see you folding and putting away my smalls somehow," Draco said with a quirked eyebrow.

"I'm not folding pants for anyone," Ron said with a snort.

"Well," said Draco, leaning a little deeper into the sofa, "I have to say, this is a lovely place."

"Thanks," said Ron, a little surprised by Draco congeniality. "It took a while to kick it all into shape, but I'm pleased with how it turned out."

"You have…surprisingly good taste," Draco said, looking as though the admission was paining him somewhat.

Ron grinned. "It's been lovely – having my own place to do what the bloody hell I want with. Hermione said I'd deck the whole house out in black and orange, but I must say, I surprised myself." He took a sip of his brandy, a present from George the previous Christmas, then said, "If you want to make any changes to you room, please feel free."

"That's very kind, but there's nothing I would change about the room. It's beautiful."

Ron felt his cheeks heat slightly, and he said, "That's good. I spent ages in there last week trying to figure out what you might like, what your tastes would be."

Draco lowered his glass and eyed Ron over the rim of it, a speculative look on his face. "You changed it for me?" he asked eventually.

"Well," said Ron, trying to sound nonchalant, "it was a bit plain before. I wanted to give it a touch of character. This is your home, I'd like you to feel welcome here."

Draco offered him a gentle smile, and Ron realised he had never the expression before. It softened Draco's face, gave the grey eyes a subtle warmth. Ron found it rather charming.

"Thank you," Draco said, sounding as though he really meant it.

There was a surprisingly comfortable silence for a few moments before Ron took another sip of his drink and said, "Why don't you take some time to get settled in? It's been a long day, I know I could use a little time to get my head straight before…"

To Ron's surprise, Draco blushed and averted his eyes. "Yes of course. There's still the final step of this wedding to…complete. Give me an hour or so? I'll come and find you."

Ron nodded, thrown slightly by the change in Draco's manner. Draco downed the rest of his drink and placed the glass on the side table before getting up and heading the for door, grabbing his robes on his way. He paused in the doorway and looked at Ron for a moment as though he wanted to say something. He clearly thought better of it though as he simply took a deep breath and left.

Ron watched him go with a frown, wondering at the shift in attitude. There was no point trying to decipher it though he supposed, and instead decided that a long soak in a hot bath sounded like sheer bliss.

He took the rest of his brandy up to his room and moved into the bathroom, yanking the taps on and getting the water to the right temperature. He divested himself of his clothing, dimmed the lights with his wand then sank into the water.

He rested his head against the back of the tub and looked up at the ceiling. He had had it specially enchanted to resemble the night sky, an extravagant indulgence he had allowed himself and one he truly relished. He looked up at the constellations and considered what lay ahead for him that evening.

He wasn't shy about sex and he had had fairly broad experiences, but he still felt nervous. It was rather awkward, he supposed, after all he and Draco were no strangers to one another and it was an odd thing to sleep with someone you had known for years. Still, Draco was an undeniably attractive man, it wasn't as if he would have to try and summon up an attraction to him. He was confident enough in his own abilities to think that he could make the experience enjoyable for them both, but it didn't make the situation any less unusual.

He stayed in the bath for a good half an hour, sipping at his drink and gazing up at the stars. He got out, dried himself off and moved back into his bedroom. He didn't wear pyjamas, but somehow he didn't think greeting Draco stark-bollock naked was a good idea. He opted for a pair of comfortable jogging bottoms and a plain t-shirt, then settled down at the window seat with a well-worn tome on anatomy.

He was so engrossed in it that he almost missed the soft knock that came forty minutes later. He closed the book and called, "Come in," before Draco appeared in the doorway.

"Hi," Draco said, making no move to enter.

"Hi," Ron echoed, getting up from his seat. "You can come in, you know."

Draco shuffled awkwardly into the room, shutting the door behind him. He was wearing a pair of grey slacks and a white shirt, obviously not willing to concede to pyjamas either. Ron padded softly over to him and they met in the middle of the room, which also happened to be at the foot of Ron's bed.

Draco cast a glance over it and Ron was surprised to see that man's cheeks flush again. "Look," Draco said eventually, his voice rough, "there's something you should know. I haven't…I haven't done this before…with anyone."

The admission took Ron by surprise. Draco was 22 and remarkably attractive. The idea that he'd never slept with anyone before seemed incongruous in Ron's mind. "Oh," he said eventually, not sure what else he could say. It explained the awkwardness in Draco's manner, the shy, embarrassed blushes and the wave of nerves Ron could feel coming from him.

"I know, I know. I must be some kind of freak, right? Who hasn't been around the houses by my age?" Draco said agitatedly.

"I don't think you're any kind of freak," Ron said gently. "I think whatever your circumstances you must have your reasons and honestly they're none of my business. Look, we don't have to do anything if you'd rather not."

Draco looked up at him, his expression guarded. "The marriage has to be consummated."

"Well yeah," Ron conceded, "but I don't think there's anything that says it has to be the same day. We don't have to do anything tonight, I don't want you to feel pressured."

"No," Draco said, shaking his head. "We should just get the bloody thing over with, get it out of the way and done with."

Ron frowned. He didn't want someone he was about to share a bed with thinking about sex in such a way. It didn't take a genius to figure that something or someone had caused Draco's attitude to sex, and while Ron couldn't alter how he had felt about it in the past, he could make sure that the man's first time was pleasurable.

"If it's all the same to you," Ron said softly, "I'd rather not get anything 'out of the way'. We can go as slowly as you like, but I don't want this night to be something cold and sterile."

"Oh? You want to make love to me I suppose?" said Draco with a sneer, though it seemed to lack something in force.

"If you'll allow me to," Ron said, and Draco couldn't mask his surprise. He looked taken aback and disbelieving, and Ron decided that words wouldn't be enough to convince the rather skittish man of his intentions.

He moved closer and placed his hand on Draco's cheek, and Draco drew in a breath and blinked quickly. "It's ok," Ron whispered, "you can trust me. Just relax and remember that we can stop at any time."

He lowered his head and met Draco's lips softly, brushing against them almost teasingly. He knew this encounter had to be gentle, that Draco had to be treated carefully, and he was more than willing to take his time showing Draco how good this kind of experience could be with the right person.

Draco responded to the kiss tentatively, and Ron slid his hand over the man's hip to rest in the small of his back, holding him gently. Draco reminded him of the foals that were born on the stud farm near the Burrow. They were all wary and uneasy until they learnt to trust, until they were shown that they had no reason to be afraid. Draco would need time and care, and Ron was more than willing to give that to him.

He slowly began to undo the buttons of Draco's shirt, murmuring softly, "It's ok, we're not going to do anything yet, I just want us to get past the first barrier."

He undid the shirt and slid it off Draco's shoulders, stepping back slightly to allow his eyes to dance over the man's torso. His skin was like porcelain, almost pearly white and practically unmarred. Not wanting Draco to feel like an exhibition, Ron pulled his own shirt off over his head, gratified to note the appreciative look in Draco's eyes as they roved over his torso.

"Lie down," Ron said softly. "On your front."

"I – "

"It's ok, we're still not doing anything," Ron said with a smile. "I'm just going to help you relax a little."

Draco looked sceptical but did as instructed and lay down on the bed, pulling a pillow under his head. Ron moved to his dressing table and grabbed a pot of moisturiser that Hermione had given him in an effort to turn him into a 'modern man'. He had never used it, but it would serve his needs in this instance perfectly well.

He moved back to the bed and knelt next to Draco, opening the moisturiser and scooping a large dollop into his hands. He warmed it a little then began to spread it over Draco's back and across his shoulders. He felt Draco tense a little, but he soon relaxed when he realised that all Ron intended was a massage.

Ron took his time to work the muscles in Draco's shoulders and neck. This was a particular talent of his and he had employed it both in and out of the bedroom to great effect. He applied gentle pressure, soothing the tension in the man's body and learning the planes of it as he went. Draco was slimly built but there was strength in his body. As his hands moved, Ron indulged in the feeling of the smooth skin beneath them, mapping out the places that he wanted to know better, that he would let his lips travel in due course.

"You're good at this," Draco said quietly.

"I have many hidden talents," Ron said as he moved to the dip of Draco's lower back. Draco arched into the touch, his eyes fluttering closed, and Ron catalogued the information for further use. He wanted to find all the places that pleasured Draco, all the areas of the man's body that he could tempt and tease that Draco would enjoy.

"Can I take these off?" he asked, tugging at Draco's trousers.

"Mm," Draco said, and Ron smiled at how relaxed he sounded. He reached for his wand and muttered a quiet charm and the trousers disappeared from Draco's body, leaving him in black cotton boxers.

His backside was pert and firm, and Ron allowed his hand to ghost over it before he moved lower to the man's thighs. He didn't massage this time, simply ran his hands up and down the long legs, thrilled when he heard Draco moan into the pillow.

"You like that?" he asked gently.

Draco nodded, keeping his face down, a blush on his cheeks. Ron continued to stroke and rub softly, noticing that Draco was pushing his hips down against the bed with each touch. He moved to Draco's feet, applying a little more pressure with his thumbs into the arches. "Turn over," he said softly, and Draco did as he was asked, his feet coming to rest in Ron's lap.

He kept his eyes looking upwards at the canopy, embarrassed, Ron imagined, by the prominent erection tenting his underpants. Ron ignored it, though he was pleased that Draco was aroused by the situation. He slicked Draco's feet with the moisturiser and massaged them one after the other.

"That's…really good," Draco whispered, closing his eyes.

"I told you I'd take care of you," Ron said, unsurprised that the man's feet were as elegant as the rest of him. He massaged until all the moisturiser had sunk in, then let his hands rove over Draco's calves and up to his thighs.

"You can…you can get rid of them…if you want," Draco said, gesturing to the boxers.

"All in good time," Ron said with a smile as he released Draco's feet then leant forward to lean over the man and kiss him softly. He shifted so he could lie down with him, holding him gently as he pressed their bodies together. He kissed Draco deeply this time, deciding that now Draco was a little more relaxed he could sweep him along in sensation.

Draco was responsive, and he wound his arms around Ron's neck as he pushed his body upwards to meet Ron's. Ron took it as a good sign, and he let one hand rove its way over Draco's chest and down across his stomach. He moved his fingers lightly over the cotton-covered erection and Draco gasped softly against Ron's lips.

Ron let his fingers play over the hard length before his dipped his fingers underneath the waistband and let them brush the velvety head. He broke the kiss and divested Draco of his underwear before he wrapped his hand around the prominent length.

Draco let his head fall back against the pillow, his breathing quickening as Ron stroked him firmly. Ron lowered his head and ran his tongue from base to tip, Draco arching beneath him. Encouraged that he hadn't been shooed away, Ron engulfed the man's hardness in his mouth and moved up and down slowly and sensuously.

Draco's hands gripped the bedsheets and he groaned softly, pushing himself into Ron's willing mouth. Ron cupped Draco's balls with one hand while the other came to wrap around the base of Draco's prick, moving up and down in time with his mouth.

"Oh yes," Draco whispered, thrilling Ron. He increased the pace and suction, taking Draco to the back of his throat, loving it when the man moaned loudly. He sensed the man was close, and with a few more measured sucks, Draco came with a gasp. Ron sucked and licked until Draco's cock twitched and began to soften, then he moved up to meet Draco in a kiss, which the blond eagerly responded to.

"A little more relaxed?" Ron asked, teasing the man's ear with his teeth.

"Mm," Draco hummed, and Ron took the opportunity while the man was still floating to reach into his bedside table and grab his lube.

"I need to make you ready for me," he murmured, pressing a trail of soft kisses to Draco's throat, then down over his collarbone.

"I know. It's ok, I'm ready for it," Draco said, his voice deliciously rough.

Ron coated his fingers and moved his hand to Draco's backside while he captured Draco's lips in a soft kiss. He circled the man's entrance, rubbing it lightly, then very gently insinuated one finger inside the man. Rather than recoiling, Draco pressed against it and kissed Ron a little harder, encouraging Ron to add another finger.

"That's it," Ron murmured, peppering Draco's cheeks and nose with light kisses as he moved his fingers inside Draco's body. He twisted and wriggled them until Draco arched off the bed with a cry of pleasure and Ron smiled, repeating the action several times.

Draco moaned, his cheeks flushing, a spark of fire in his eyes. "God, you're beautiful," Ron said before he could stop himself, and Draco looked up at him in surprise.

He continued to prepare the man, wanting to be as thorough as possible, to make sure the experience was as positive as possible for Draco. "I think…are you ready?" he asked, eventually withdrawing his fingers.

"Yes," Draco said breathily.

Ron slicked his cock up and positioned himself over Draco, nudging the tight entrance carefully. "Let me know if you need me to stop."

"It's ok," Draco said, tilting his hips up a little. "I want to."

Ron pushed forward and breached Draco slowly, the blond drawing in a sharp breath. "Don't stop," he said, "you're not hurting me, it's just…a little strange."

Ron moved further inside Draco, pushing slowly until he was fully sheathed. Draco looked up at him, his chest rising and falling heavily. Ron gave him a moment to get used to the intrusion, then slowly rocked his hips and moved a little way out and back in again. Draco closed his eyes and moaned softly, encouraging Ron to move a little more.

He began to rock gently in and out of Draco's body, and Draco lifted his hips and wound his legs around Ron's waist. "You feel so good," he murmured, lowering his head to Draco's ear. He moved inside the glorious tightness, confident that he wouldn't hurt the man, bolstered by Draco's soft moans of pleasure.

He kissed Draco's neck and jaw, then moved to meet the man's lips as he thrust a little harder. Draco groaned against his lips and Ron was delighted at how receptive the man was. He trailed his hand gently down Draco's body, touching gently until his fingers closed around Draco's renewed erection.

"Ron," Draco moaned, sending a shiver of pure delight down Ron's spine.

He thrust in time to the strokes he made on Draco's prick, feeling his pleasure grow with each movement. It felt wonderful to be buried so deep inside such a beautiful body, to have Draco keening beneath him, to be able to make him feel things that no one had made him feel before.

Draco moaned low in this throat and Ron felt the man's cock twitch before it coated his hand with its release. Draco collapsed against the bed and Ron braced himself on strong arms as he thrust several more times before his own orgasm claimed him. He felt the tremors surge through his body and he breathed heavily as he rode them out.

"Are you ok?" he whispered softly as he watched Draco come back to himself.

"Yes," Draco said, his voice a little shaky. "You were…it was…" he trailed off, and Ron smiled as he pressed a gentle kiss to the man's lips.

"That's us married then," he said, hoping to make Draco feel less awkward as the afterglow wore off.

"Merlin help us."

* * *

Harry and Severus crashed through the door of Grimmauld Place, their hands tearing at each other's clothing as they plundered each other's mouths. Severus was anything but gentle as he wrenched Harry's shirt off, buttons flying in all directions.

Both of them had had far too much to drink, and the few inhibitions Harry might have felt at finally getting to sleep with Severus had flown out of the window as soon as the man had put his hands on him. They'd been teasing each other since the ceremony, a hand sneaking under a shirt or a foot sliding up a leg beneath the table.

He'd been desperate to sleep with Severus for ages, and he knew that Severus wanted him too. He was getting very definite proof of that as Severus yanked his trousers down then slid to his knees and began sucking Harry to within an inch of his life.

"Oh fuck yes," Harry groaned as Severus took him all the way to the back of his throat. The man sucked cock like he was born to it and Harry's senses began to blur as Severus continued to deepthroat him vigorously. A lubricated finger suddenly breached him, followed by a second, then a third, thrusting in and out of him with purpose. His prostate was grazed repeatedly and Harry had never felt so overwhelmed in his life.

He knew it would be like this with Severus, he knew it would be hot and intense and that he wouldn't have a second to collect his thoughts while the man took everything he wanted from him. Severus sucked in earnest while continuing to fuck him with his fingers, and before Harry could let out any kind of warning, he was coming hard down the man's throat.

He was given no time to collect himself as he was forcefully spun around to brace himself against the wall. Severus' breath was hot on his skin as he began to bite and kiss Harry's neck and shoulder, and before Harry could get his breath back, Severus was inside him in one hard thrust.

Severus' hand gripped his shoulder, while the other held his hip tightly as he rammed hard and fast into Harry's spent body. It was so intense, so hot and animalistic; Harry had never had a lover that took him with such ferocity and it made every last thought tumble from his head.

"Tell me how much you want this," Severus growled into his ear as he thrust in earnest.

"Fuck, I want this, I want this so much," Harry gasped. "Fuck me, fuck me so hard," he begged.

"You've always wanted this, you've always wanted my cock buried deep inside you. You're going to take it now, every last inch," Severus breathed, and Harry felt as though his legs might buckle at any moment.

"Oh yes," he groaned. "So fucking good," he said as Severus thrust again and again, impaling him harder and harder each time.

"Take it Harry, take it all," Severus said and Harry all but screamed as his second orgasm ripped through him, Severus hammering him roughly until he found his own release.

Severus' head fell forward to rest on his shoulder, and for a while there was no noise apart from the sound of their harsh, ragged breathing. Eventually Severus withdrew from his exhausted body, casting a cleaning charm as he went.

"Consider things consummated," he said, and Harry could hear the smirk in his voice.

He could think of nothing to say in response and simply stayed braced against the wall, trying to come back to his senses as he heard Severus move off down the corridor behind him.

* * *

Ron had expected Draco to avoid him like the plague for the entirety of their marriage, starting with the morning after the night they had slept together. He was proved wrong though, and Draco was in the kitchen when he ventured downstairs the next morning, making a pot of coffee. He had smiled at him shyly, asked if he wanted any breakfast, and they had sat at the breakfast table, talking about their plans for the day.

The next couple of weeks passed in much the same way, and Ron found himself in Draco's company more often that he thought he would. They were both out of the house during the day, Draco at one of his various jobs while Ron was either at St Mungo's or at university attending lectures, but they ate breakfast and dinner together, then migrated into the sitting room with a glass of wine afterwards.

Draco was surprisingly good company, and Ron found that he enjoyed their conversations. It was nice to have someone to spend his evenings with, and it seemed that Draco wanted to make a go of their marriage as much as he did. Neither of them were under any illusions as to the fact that the whole thing was a sham, but they were living together and Ron wanted to know his husband as well as he could under the circumstances.

"Severus has offered me a job," Draco said a month after their wedding as they sat at the breakfast table.

"Yeah, I saw Harry the other week, he mentioned that Severus was desperate for help. Are you going to take it?"

Draco nodded as he took a sip of his coffee. "The money's good, and it means I could give up my shitty part-time jobs. It'd be nice to have something real to get my teeth into."

"Harry said Severus has just been given a new research grant from the Ministry, you'll be helping out with that I take it?"

"Yeah, I'll be his research assistant. I just hope he's not too much of a bastard to work for."

Ron laughed and said, "I thought you were his golden boy?"

"No," Draco said, buttering his croissant, "that was all show back in the day. I mean, we get on well enough but I bet he'll be a difficult sod to work with."

"No doubt."

They ate their breakfast in companionable silence, Ron reading through his study notes while Draco perused the paper. They had fallen to sharing the domestic duties fairly evenly. They took turns preparing breakfast, and whoever was home first would make dinner while the other one took care of the clean-up.

Ron was surprised at how at home Draco was with such things. There was no evidence of the man having been raised in money with house-elves attending to his every whim. He was a decent cook, didn't once grumble when it was his turn to clean, and had even taken it upon himself to fix one or two little things around the house. Whatever had happened in the years since the war, it had turned Draco into an independent and self-reliant person.

"What are your plans for the day?" Draco asked, collecting the empty plates and heading for the sink.

"Revision," Ron said with a groan. "I have an exam in a couple of weeks."

"Want me to test you?" Draco asked.

Ron's first thought was to decline the offer, but as he considered it, he realised it could be helpful. Draco seemed sincere in his offer and it was Saturday after all; he should be spending time with his husband rather than shutting himself in the library all day.

"That would be great, thanks."

A couple of hours later and they were sitting at the long desk in the middle of the library, Draco holding Ron's notes while Ron sat opposite him and answered Draco's questions.

"Gastrocnemius and soleus," Ron finished naming all the muscles of the leg while Draco nodded encouragingly.

"Excellent. You really know your stuff. You haven't got one question wrong yet."

"Well, I do little else besides studying," Ron said with a tired sigh.

"I've noticed," Draco said with a smile. "This is something you really care about, isn't it?"

"I've never felt this passionately about something. It's funny because I sort of fell into it, I'd never intended to be a Healer at all. I ended up helping the Healers during the war because everyone was so short-handed and found that I loved it. It all seemed to come really naturally to me, not to say that this isn't all really bloody tough," he said, indicating all his revision notes and massive textbooks.

"I can see that. Your family must be really proud of you," he said, and Ron searched the man's face for any hint that he was mocking him. There was nothing there though, Draco seemed to truly mean what he said, and Ron found the gentle smile on the blond's face oddly endearing.

"Yeah, I think they are. Mind you, my mum's capable of maternal pride at the smallest inducement."

Ron was aware that Draco's family was a sore point. Lucius had killed himself in Azkaban nearly two years ago and Narcissa had taken herself out of the country after the war to avoid conviction. Draco had been left to fend for himself and, with all assets seized, he had had to fight tooth and nail just to survive.

Not wanting to have an awkward conversation, or to bring up a topic that Draco was uncomfortable with, Ron shuffled a few of his notes together and said, "Do you fancy popping into town for some lunch? I'm starving and my brain could do with a rest."

"I know what you're up to Mr Weasley," Draco said, his voice teasing. "You just want to take me out so you can show me off to your neighbours, show them what a devastatingly handsome husband you've managed to bag yourself."

"Am I that transparent?" Ron asked with a grin.

"Of course," Draco said with false arrogance. "Not that anyone could blame you. I _am_ a prize to be shown off."

"Pillock," Ron said good-naturedly. "Come on then, take pity on me and let me parade my husband around the community."

They walked through the wizarding quarter of Bath arm-in-arm in case there were any eager journalists about who could spot them. The constant articles since their wedding day had died down somewhat, but Ron and Harry were due at a couple of Ministry functions in the next few weeks so it was likely that interest would be renewed.

Ron loved Bath, both the wizard and muggle sides alike. He enjoyed its history and gentle beauty, and he liked how he could be in the middle of hustle and bustle whilst never being too far from the countryside. He had had no wish to live in London, never having been particularly fond of it, but neither had he wished to live out in the sticks as he had done in his childhood. Bath suited him down to the ground and Draco seemed pleased by it too.

They perused several shops and stopped outside a tailor's shop, eyeing the dress robes in the window appreciatively.

"I'm probably due a new set," Ron said with a sigh. "There are a couple of functions coming up that I have to go to and I'm worried I'm starting to look shabby."

"Perish the thought," Draco said wryly. "Our wedding was the first time I'd worn dress robes in years. I doubt I'll have much need to wear them again for a while," he said, looking rather wistful as he looked up at the dark green robes in the window.

"Ah, there you're wrong my dear husband. You've been invited to the Ministry function I have to attend in a couple of weeks."

"Really?" Draco asked in surprise.

"Mmhm. See, being married to me opens up all sorts of doors."

"Indeed. If I'd known that marrying you would get me entry to Ministry functions where I could be bored to death by dry, dusty officials, I would have jumped on you years ago."

Ron laughed and rest his hand in the small of Draco back, guiding him gently down the street. "If I have to suffer these things, then so do you."

They had lunch in one of Ron's favourite pubs. It was cosy and quirky and served absolutely delicious food. Draco surprised him by ordering a Guinness and practically glugging it down, and tucking into a steak and kidney pie as though he had spent all his life eating food like it.

They spoke a little more of Draco's job with Severus and Draco outlined the sort of work he'd be doing from day to day. He was looking forward to the new challenge and was also glad to have steady employment. He never spoke much of the jobs he had done since the war, but Ron surmised that they had been varied and often not the most glamorous. He was impressed with the resilience Draco had shown, the way he had dusted himself down after losing everything, gritted his teeth and done what he had to to get by.

He would have liked to stay longer in the lovely little pub, sitting across from his husband engaging in easy conversation, but his studies beckoned. He paid the bill, despite Draco's protestations, telling the man that he could pay next time.

They walked back out into the street, bracing themselves against the harsh February air. After a couple of steps, Draco slipped his hand into Ron's, blushing slightly and murmuring, "Just in case there are journalists around."

* * *

 **AN:** That's your lot for now ; ) Please leave me a review and let me what you thought.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ron sat in the little window seat in his bedroom, his feet tucked beneath him, testing himself on the procedure for testing for nerve damage. He was confident in the incantation but he couldn't quite get the wand movement right. O'Brien was a stickler for perfection and he knew that anything less would land him a lower grade.

He had migrated from the armchair in front of the fire to the window seat in an attempt to keep himself more alert with the cold draft that permeated through the single paned glass. It was late though and he was perfectly aware that to try and cram anymore into his head at this hour wouldn't be beneficial. As he was about to call it a day, he heard a soft knock at the door.

"Come in," he said, glancing up at the clock and seeing that it was nearly midnight. He expected Draco to have been tucked up in bed by now.

Draco let himself in and walked into the room slowly, something awkward in his manner.

"Hey," Ron said, putting his books to one side and getting up, pleased to be away from the chill of the window. "Something wrong?"

"Uh…no…I was just…" he trailed off and leant against one of the posts of Ron's bed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Did you…want to talk about something?" Ron asked, moving to stand in front of Draco, feeling a slight wave of nerves from the other man.

"Well," Draco began, glancing back towards the door as though wondering if he could escape, despite the conversation happening at his instigation. "I was just thinking…well I was wondering…" He let out a long, slow breath then pushed himself up from the bedpost, looking a little more resolved. "Did you…did you not enjoy it when we…" he gestured towards the bed, blushing as he did so.

"What?" asked Ron, bewildered. "Of course I did, why would you think I didn't?"

"You haven't…we haven't done it since," Draco said, his eyes going to the ground as his blush intensified.

"I didn't want to push you," Ron said softly. "I didn't want to just assume." He moved a little closer and took Draco's hand in his own, noticing that it shook slightly. "I'd be an idiot to turn down an opportunity to make love to you."

The corner of Draco's mouth twitched slightly and he looked up with an endearingly shy smile. "Would you then?"

"With pleasure," Ron said with a smile, moving forward and meeting Draco with a soft kiss. Draco was immediately responsive, winding his arms around Ron's neck and pulling his body up against him.

He could still feel an underlying flutter of nerves from his husband, but it was tempered with a delicious sense of anticipation. There was nothing hesitant about Draco's kiss, and Ron felt himself harden immediately as an intense sense of attraction washed over him.

He undid the buttons of Draco's shirt, needing contact with the man's skin. He slid it off, letting it fall to the floor as he circled to stand behind him. He tugged his own shirt off and pulled Draco back against his chest, running his hands up and down the man's lithe body as he lay a trail of kisses up his neck.

"Any man would be lucky to have you in his bed," he whispered into Draco's ear, making the man shiver and tilt his head to encourage Ron's ministrations. "Any man would count himself fortunate to have this beautiful body beneath him."

Draco moaned beautifully and Ron let his hands rove lower and until they met the man's trouser-covered erection. He ran his fingers over it lightly and Draco pushed himself into the touch, a soft little puff of breath escaping his lips.

A murmured spell and both their clothes were gone, Ron's hard prick pressing into Draco's pert backside. Draco turned himself around in Ron's arms and pressed his erection against Ron's, Ron grabbing the man's backside and holding him in place. Draco ran his hands over Ron's chest, his fingertips light and teasing, breaking Ron out in goosebumps.

"You're ticklish," Draco whispered as he leant forward and captured Ron's earlobe with his teeth. "Are you ticklish all over?" he asked, teasing his lips along Ron's jaw, arching his hips to rub his prick along Ron's with slightly more pressure.

"Why don't you find out?" Ron replied, very keen to have Draco's hands anywhere they wanted to go.

Draco had largely kept his hands to himself last time and it was thrilling that he now wanted to explore Ron's body. Gentle fingers roved across his chest, down over his stomach, and Ron couldn't stop the sharp intake of breath when they moved to brush up and down his erection.

"Strange place to be ticklish," Draco murmured with a smile as he kissed the soft skin of Ron's throat. "Can I…" he began, pulling back to meet Ron's eyes, that thoroughly charming blush spreading across his cheeks. "I want to…"

"You can do whatever you want," Ron said, delighted that Draco wanted to take the initiative. His heart thumped as Draco slowly dropped to his knees, amazed that he wanted to do this when he had so little experience.

He was pulled into a warm, wet mouth and he closed his eyes as the sensations washed over him. Draco was a little tentative, obviously uncertain in what he was doing, but it felt wonderful. That Draco wanted to do this to him was enough to encourage his enjoyment, and soon Draco found a rhythm that had Ron moaning softly.

He twined his fingers through soft blond hair as Draco's head bobbed up and down, the man's tongue lathing him with each swipe. He wanted desperately to push himself further into the sinfully warm mouth, but he didn't want to overwhelm the man. It was important that Draco felt comfortable doing this, that he could find his own enjoyment in it. As the man hummed around his hard length, Ron thought that perhaps he was finding a way to do that.

It certainly wasn't the best blowjob he had ever received, but the fact that it was Draco on his knees in front of him, doing everything he could to give Ron pleasure was enough to send delicious shockwaves through him. He tugged gently on the man's hair, saying breathlessly, "Stop, stop."

"Not good?" Draco asked, looking up at him with a frown.

"Too bloody good, I'll come if you don't stop," he said with a grin, and Draco smiled up at him. He offered him a hand and pulled him to his feet, kissing him gently as he lowered him to the bed, covering his body with his own.

He summoned the lube and coated his fingers, moving them to Draco's entrance. He prepared and stretched him as he plundered the man's mouth, Draco keening and moaning beneath him.

"Oh fuck yes!" Draco breathed as Ron grazed his prostate. "Oh Ron please, want you…want you inside me."

Ron couldn't help but groan at Draco's words, delighted by the thought of how responsive a lover Draco was turning out to be. He wanted to make the man feel secure, to know that he could explore this unknown side of himself in safety.

He coated himself well then pushed inside Draco slowly, captivated by the look of sheer pleasure that crossed his husband's face. Draco wasted no time lifting his hips up and wrapping his legs around Ron's waist, pulling him in deeper, and Ron moaned at the gorgeous feeling of being buried deeply inside the gorgeous body.

He moved gently but firmly, Draco closing his eyes and emitting the most wonderful little noises as he met every thrust. The man felt wonderful around him and he felt compelled to lower his head and sweep him up in a deep and sensual kiss as he moved slowly and deeply within him.

He could do this every night of his life, buried up to the hilt in a body that responded to him so well. He loved being able to make Draco make those delightful sounds, to encourage those breathy little sighs and flushed cheeks as Draco gripped his shoulders and rocked firmly against each push inside him.

"That's it baby," Ron murmured into Draco's ear. "You feel so good, so amazing."

Draco arched off the bed and Ron felt his tight muscles clench down around him, then both their stomachs were coated in the man's hot release. Ron wasn't far behind, and after a few more firm thrusts, he came hard inside the spent body beneath him.

He collapsed in a sated heap, nuzzling the edge of Draco's jaw. "Mm," he moaned happily, feeling one of Draco's hands move to stroke his back. "Any time you feel like making me aware of my husbandly duties, please feel free," he whispered.

Draco laughed softly and reached up to brush the hair from Ron's forehead. "I was worried you didn't want to sleep with me again," he said with a shy smile.

"I'm not that much of an idiot."

* * *

Harry slumped through the front door of Grimmauld Place and hung his outer cloak up on the hook. He was beginning to loathe his job with every fibre of his being and it was taking all his willpower not to quit. He didn't know why he had ever thought being an auror was so attractive anyway, and he really should have realised that it wasn't for him when he had hated every second of the training programme.

He couldn't say what exactly he so disliked about it; his colleagues were decent enough, although his supervisor was the biggest ball-breaker going. He struggled with the politics and bureaucracy of it all, hated the arse-kissing he had to do just to make sure things got done that needed doing.

He hated having to follow procedures that he fundamentally disagreed with, procedures that at best were idiotic and at worst downright bloody dangerous. He hated the endless reams of paperwork that had to be filled out for the tiniest little thing and hated that something as arbitrary as ticking the wrong box on a form could get him hauled in front of a disciplinary.

Ok, he thought as he moved into the kitchen, perhaps he could say what he disliked about the damn job. He plucked a glass from the cupboard and swiped the scotch from the counter, pouring himself a healthy measure. He took a swig, wincing slightly as it burnt his throat on the way down, not crazy about the fact that this seemed to be turning into his after-work ritual.

He heard the floo go in the living room, and a few moments later, Severus appeared in the kitchen, dusting powder from his robes.

"Have you only just got home?" he asked, helping himself to a glass of scotch.

Harry nodded with a sigh. "Bit of a long day. There were another lot of raids…we had to deal with the clean-up."

"Were the raids successful?" Severus asked.

Harry shrugged. "That depends on your point of view I suppose. We have a few people in custody but…I don't know these things are never dealt with very well. How was your day?"

"Predictable."

"How's Draco settling in as your assistant?"

"Well enough. He's familiar with the procedures I use, it makes things easier."

There was silence for a while as Harry moved his glass in small circles around the table, swishing the scotch and watching it swirl around the glass.

"You seem tense," Severus said eventually, and Harry looked up with a resigned smile.

"Yeah, I suppose I am."

"Perhaps I could help you relax," Severus said smoothly, his black eyes flashing.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "With your particular brand of stress-busting techniques, I suppose?" he asked, feeling a thrill go through at the thought of Severus' hands on him.

"Well, you could always settle for a nice hot bath and a good book of course," Severus said with a wicked smile, and Harry felt his pulse quicken.

Severus got up from the table and prowled around the edge until he came to stand behind Harry, resting his hands on Harry's shoulders. "So very tense," he whispered in Harry's ear. "You should really learn to find yourself an outlet."

"I've got you," Harry said with a smirk. Severus tugged at his shoulder and Harry complied, standing up and turning around.

Severus' mouth was on his in seconds, the kiss hot and hard, unforgiving and unyielding as it always was. Severus' hands were inside his shirt, clawing at his back, leaving trails that would be visible the next day. Severus' lips moved to his neck and Harry's hands dug into the man's shoulders as Severus moved to cup him through his trousers.

They began to divest each other of their clothing, shirts falling to the floor, buckles jangling on belts as they pawed roughly at one another. Harry found himself turned around and braced against the kitchen table, naked and shivering with anticipation. He suddenly felt a warm, wet tongue lathing his entrance and he groaned with pleasure at the assault.

He was kissed, sucked and licked to within an inch of his life, that devastatingly talented tongue impaling him again and again, moving with precision and purpose. Hands were running up and down his legs, teasing him, tickling him, making him tremble. His breathing sped up and he couldn't hold back his moans, wondering how on earth Severus became so good at this.

The tongue was eventually replaced by lube-coated fingers, stretching and preparing him with force and intensity. It always sent a thrill through him that Severus was so forceful, that he wanted him so badly that he had neither the time nor the inclination to be gentle.

Moments later, hands were on his hips and he was entered with one hard thrust. He bit down so hard on his lip that he almost bit through it, his fingers scrabbling on the table for purchase. Severus was buried inside him to the hilt and he allowed Harry a moment to catch his breath before he moved.

"You want it, Harry?" Severus whispered into his ear.

"Fuck yes, of course I do," Harry said breathlessly, and Severus withdrew and slammed back in again.

"You love this, you love having me inside you," Severus growled, and Harry pushed back against him, fucking himself on Severus' cock.

"So good," Harry moaned, and Severus began to move harder and faster. The hands on his hips were holding him almost painfully, and Harry knew he'd have a new set of bruises in the morning. He never came away from these encounters unmarked and it thrilled him to look down at his body the next day and see the damage Severus had inflicted.

He moved a hand down to wrap around his swollen prick, but Severus batted him away and wrapped his own hand around it, pumping hard and quick. His thrusts matched the rhythm of his hand and Harry found himself overwhelmed by sensation, the pleasure almost too much to cope with. His mouth was dry with how hard he was breathing, and he was beginning to feel dizzy.

His senses blurred and all he could feel was the hard prick pounding inside him, the warm breath at his neck. He came hard and with a deep, guttural groan, covering Severus' hand and the rough grain of the table. Severus held him tightly and thrust several more times before Harry felt the shudder of his breath and finally his motions stilled.

They stood still for a moment, their breathing harsh and loud in the silence of the kitchen. Severus eventually withdrew, casting a cleaning charm and saying heavily, "Less tense now?"

Harry gave a tired laugh and said, "I have no fucking clue, but feel free to try and relax me like that any time you want."

* * *

"I could well do without this bloody thing tonight," Ron growled as he tried to sort out his bow tie.

"You and me both, but we have to go," Draco said, batting Ron's hands away and starting to tie it for him. "Harry will do his nut if we're not there, and I promised Severus that he wouldn't be the only Slytherin in attendance."

"I hate sodding Ministry functions, they're so bloody boring," Ron groaned.

"That which doesn't kill us," Draco said with a wry smile, finishing beating Ron's tie into submission. "Besides, it's another good opportunity to show ourselves off as the couple of the moment."

"Whoever thought marriage would be a publicity stunt."

"Don't be cynical, it doesn't suit you," Draco said, pressing a kiss to the end of Ron's nose and moving in front of him to check his appearance in the mirror. "We'll go for a couple of hours and then come home, deal?"

"I've got mountains of revision to do and a conclusion to write for my essay. Instead I have to stand in a crappy old function suite that hasn't been decorated in years, nursing warm, flat champagne, making conversation with people I can't stand."

"Other than that you're really looking forward to it," Draco laughed, turning around to place his hands on Ron's shoulders. "Come on, you can exchange sob stories with Harry about how awful it is to be married to a pair of Slytherins."

Ron wound his arms around Draco's waist and pulled him closer. "I can't say I mind it that much. You're very nice arm decoration."

"That's all I am to you isn't it? Something shiny and pretty," Draco said with feigned offense.

"Mm," Ron said with a grin. "Something shiny and pretty to make me look good."

"You already look good," Draco murmured, pulling himself into Ron's hold and kissing him soundly. Ron was delighting in Draco's wicked tongue when he felt himself pulled sideways by magic and found himself in the Ministry's foyer.

"You evil, sneaky little git," Ron groused.

"Slytherin remember, my dear husband. Now come on, you might think it's ok to be fashionably late, but I don't. You'll be on your best behaviour, smile politely and pretend to be interested in everything everyone says to you," he said as he took Ron's hand and led him to the elevators.

"And what do I get if I do?"

Draco stopped walking and turned to face him with a smile, blushing charmingly as he whispered, "Me, underneath you, moaning with pleasure."

"Do you want me to have to walk into this thing with a raging hard-on?" Ron said with a growl.

"There's a lovely thought," Draco said, continuing to lead him to the elevators. It was exciting to see Draco's confidence grow, and they had made love a few more times since Draco had come to Ron's room weeks ago.

It was usually gentle and slow, and Ron loved taking his time to learn Draco's body. Lying naked beside each other, they explored with hands and mouths and Ron was enjoying seeing Draco's sexuality blossom. He loved touching Ron, and Ron, who was naturally very sensitive, relished every second of it. He did his best to guide Draco without overwhelming him too much, giving him time and space to figure what he himself liked while learning all the things that pleased Ron.

Ron now knew that the backs of Draco's legs were the most sensitive part of him, that he could have the man begging him deliciously if he focused the right attention on them. He responded best to light, teasing touches and enjoyed it when pleasure was dangled around the edge of his senses and he was tempted slowly to it. Ron would have quite happily spent a lifetime doing just that.

He was naturally dominant in the bedroom, and while Draco was content to be lead, he wasn't exactly passive. The more confident he became, the more he instigated their encounters, and nothing was more thrilling to Ron than when Draco would slide next him on the sofa, sliding a hand up Ron's thigh and kissing his way up Ron's neck.

"Stop pouting," Draco said with a laugh as the elevator came to a halt. "There'll be food, surely that's some compensation?"

The doors opened and they walked out into a function suite that might once have been grand but that had definitely seen better days. They both grabbed a glass of champagne, which was as warm and flat as Ron had predicted it would be.

"Let the fun begin," Ron said with a sigh.

The next hour was mind-numbingly boring. Ron had to do his bit and speak with all the people he was expected to, most of whom had all the charm and charisma of a plank of wood. Draco mingled, normally along with Severus, the two seeming to think that there was safety in numbers. Ron couldn't help but scan the room every now and again to see if he could lay eyes on his husband.

He was anxious that people were treating him politely and that Draco wasn't uncomfortable, but more than that he couldn't help but the opportunity to simply drink in the sight of him. He was in forest-green dress robes and he looked absolutely beautiful. He couldn't help but indulge in little fantasies of peeling them slowly from the man's body, unwrapping him like a present, revealing inch after inch of pale, smooth skin.

"My bloody feet are killing me," Harry groaned as he came to stand next to him. "I hate these bloody formal shoes."

"I hate this whole thing," Ron said, rolling his eyes. "Where's Snape?"

"Oh over there somewhere," Harry said, waving a hand vaguely at the corner of the room. "He's talking about potions, surprise surprise."

"How are things going with you two?" Ron asked, wrinkling his nose in distaste as he took another sip of the rancid champagne.

"Fine," Harry said with a shrug. "We shag a couple of times a week, it's good."

"And that's…that's it?" Ron asked, wondering why he was surprised.

"What else is there?" asked Harry, downing his own glass of champagne and wincing at the taste. "He's got his life, I've got mine."

"Do you spend any time together?"

"What would be the point? We have great sex, usually up against the wall," Harry added with a smirk, "we don't need to do much else."

"Don't you…don't you talk at all?"

"Sometimes, I guess. He moans about his work and I moan about mine, but we don't exactly sit around having heartfelt chats."

Ron couldn't help but think of the way he and Draco had spent many evenings lost in conversation. Some nights they stayed awake until the small hours talking about their schooldays, the war, the things that had happened afterwards. Other times their conversations were simply about day-to-day things, like the people on Ron's course who irritated him, or the progress Draco was making assisting Severus' research.

He valued Draco's company, he enjoyed the time they spent together. He found the man funny and intelligent and he loved being able to make him laugh. He was gorgeous when he laughed; his eyes lit up and his cheeks flushed attractively.

"How about you and Draco? You looked…pretty close when you came in tonight," Harry said, eyeing him closely.

Ron tried to temper his smile a bit, trying not to embarrass himself too much. "We're getting on well, very well actually."

"And the sex?" Harry asked with a wolfish grin.

"Harry," Ron said admonishingly, "that's private."

"Oh don't be so coy, I'm your mate! You can tell me."

"Harry, when have I ever been the type to engage in that kind of talk? Just because you like to make everyone aware of who and what you're doing doesn't mean the rest of us do."

"Alright, keep your hair on, I was just wondering. He's a good-looking bloke, you can't blame me for being curious."

Ron shot him a warning look. He didn't want to fall out with the man but neither did he want to speak of Draco in those terms. What happened between them was private and he guarded it jealously. He had too much respect for his husband to trade sex stories with Harry, and he wouldn't betray the man's confidence in order to amuse his friend.

"Speak of the devil," Harry murmured, and Ron turned to see Draco heading their way.

"Something wrong?" Ron asked, seeing that the man looked sombre.

"No, no it's nothing," Draco said, shaking his head dismissively, but Ron couldn't help but notice the man's gaze drift over to a group of people standing close by.

"Did they say something to you?" Ron asked, resting his hand in the small of Draco's back, feeling a protective surge run through him.

"No," Draco said, moving closer into Ron's hold. "I just…overheard what they were saying when I walked past them. It wasn't exactly pleasant."

"Right," Ron said, looking over to the group.

"Don't do anything," Draco said, gripping his forearm gently.

"I just want to go and hear their conversation for myself. I promise I won't smack anyone on the nose…probably," Ron said, moving closer to the group, who seemed deeply amused by whatever it was they were talking about.

He moved towards the buffet table so it wouldn't look like he was deliberating lingering, and listened to what the group was saying. One particularly loud, obnoxious bloke seemed to be dominating the conversation, and Ron pretended to peruse the table as he heard the man say,

"Well by rights they shouldn't be here of course. They've only been invited because they're married to the Ministry's golden boys. It really does stick in the craw to share the same air as them."

"Well," said a chubby blonde woman, "I suppose they _were_ exonerated."

"As if that means anything," the obnoxious man said with a scoff. "Those two have blood on their hands, everyone knows it and now people like us have to put up with them waltzing around at these things as if they have a right to be here."

"It's a disgrace," a woman with long black hair agreed. "Weasley and Potter must have been under the Imperius when they married them. They should be tested for the curse."

"Your concern for my wellbeing is touching," Ron said, moving to stand directly next to the group. They all looked at him with awkward embarrassment, except the ringleader, who folded his arms defiantly, although his cheeks flushed slightly. "I'd like to take this opportunity to assure you all that both I and Harry are perfectly well and in our right minds. However, I tend to get a little…disgruntled when I hear people insulting my husband."

"We didn't mean anything by it," the chubby blonde said, looking at her shoes.

"Well," said Ron with false casualness, "that's ok then. We all know that idle chatter doesn't do any harm, that malicious lies and harmful rumours can't be started by groups of dim-witted morons talking about things they know absolutely nothing about."

"Now see here," the obnoxious man blustered.

"No, _you_ see," Ron growled menacingly, stepping a little closer for greater effect. "Let me make myself perfectly clear – if I hear anyone speaking about my husband in that manner again, I won't hesitate to hex that person into the middle of next week."

"You can't go around threatening people," said the obnoxious prat.

"I can when those people are speaking about things they know absolutely nothing about, when those same people are helping to spread bad feeling and dangerous sentiment about a man who is worth ten of them. Remind me," he said, his voice dropping dangerously low, "what part did you play in the war?"

"I…well I – " the man stuttered.

"As I thought," Ron said smoothly. "Draco made more sacrifices than you could ever hope to understand and fought bravely to save a world that you can now live comfortably in. So when you sit your fat arse behind your oversized desk on Monday morning and push paper around for eight hours, you remember that you're only able to do that because people like Draco and Severus Snape fought for you do it, just so years later you could spit on them for it. You make me sick, the lot of you," he said contemptuously, turning on his heel and stalking back to Harry and Draco.

"We're leaving," he said, taking Draco's elbow gently.

"You didn't have to do that," Draco said as they walked towards the elevator. "I suppose it'll look good for the papers though."

"I didn't do it for the papers," Ron said, pulling them into the elevator and wrapping an arm around Draco's shoulders.

A few minutes later and they were safely back home, Ron's ire starting to abate somewhat. He was still angry on Draco's behalf, hating the fact that his husband had been subjected to the cruelty of what those idiots had said.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped the mark or if I embarrassed you," he said, running an agitated hand through his hair. "I just couldn't stand to hear them talk that way."

He looked up to find Draco standing opposite him, looking at him with one of those beautifully gentle smiles. He moved closer and brushed his knuckles over Ron's cheek, whispering softly, "I've never had anyone defend my honour before."

He pulled himself up against Ron's body and Ron found himself being kissed soundly, his arms full of his husband. He ran his hands underneath the man's robes, a step closer to the body he wanted to feel. Draco's hands were doing their best to divest him of his clothing and soon hands were scrabbling at buttons and zips as the heat of the kiss intensified.

They moved across the room as robes followed by shirts were shed, Ron revelling in the feeling of Draco's soft skin pressed against his. His need for his husband increased with every second, and he was overwhelmed by the rush of passion and desire he could feel coiling in his stomach. Draco was more forceful than he had previously been, and Ron felt exhilarated by it, aroused by how intense things were between them.

Trousers and underwear came off and Ron found himself pushed down onto the sofa, Draco naked in his lap, slowly lowering himself inch by inch onto Ron's slick cock. Ron moaned as he was engulfed in Draco's tight heat, his mind a blur save for the incredible feeling of Draco moving up and down on him, taking him in as deeply as possible.

Draco looked gorgeous as he rode him. His cheeks were flushed and his lips were parted as he rocked his hips, gripping Ron's shoulders as he impaled himself again and again. It was quite possibly the best sex Ron had ever had, and he was under no illusions that it wouldn't have been half so good with anyone else.

"Oh baby yes that's it," he breathed as he held Draco's hips, unable to stop himself from thrusting up into the man's tight body. "You feel fucking amazing, you look so good riding me."

Draco moaned and increased his pace, changing his angle slightly, sending Ron's senses reeling. "Touch yourself baby, I want to see you come," Ron whispered, and Draco bit his lip as he wrapped his hand his cock and stroked it firmly as he continued to ride Ron hard. Soon the blonde was breathing harshly and moments later he came all over Ron's chest and stomach, his muscles clenching down hard around Ron, sending Ron over the edge.

He came with a groan, gripping Draco's hips tightly as his orgasm shot through him. His head fell back against the sofa and he looked up at Draco with a satisfied smile. "That was bloody brilliant," he said, running his hands up and down Draco's lithe sides.

"I…wasn't sure I was doing it right," Draco said with an embarrassed smile, placing his palms on Ron's chest.

"I have no complaints about that. It was fucking hot."

"Mm, I particularly liked what you called me," Draco said with a smirk.

Ron felt himself blushing as he said, "Oh that…sorry…I just got a bit carried away. Ignore me, I just – "

Draco placed a finger on Ron's lips and lowered his head to whisper in the man's ear, "I said I liked it, I want you to call me it again."

Ron shivered as Draco's breath danced over his skin, pleased that he hadn't embarrassed himself with his babbling. "Fancy a shower to clean up?" he asked.

"Sounds perfect," Draco said, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. "This is a much better end to the night than I'd envisioned."

* * *

 **AN:** Oh I do so love writing these two. I hope you enjoyed it, please drop me a review and let me know.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Harry sighed as he trawled his way through what seemed like an endless mountain of paperwork. He had brought it home with him in a bid to spend a little less time in the office, but it had resulted in him feeling that now there was no escape from the red tape that felt like it was strangling him.

He wasn't sure how much more he could stand. If he thought that he was making a difference, that the things he did were helping then he could have gritted his teeth and put up with it. As it was, he felt as though he was contributing to a system that caused more problems than it solved.

He was tired and fed up, and hadn't felt this disillusioned since Sirius had died. He threw his quill down and decided to call it a night. He rubbed at his face tiredly and wondered when the last time was that he managed to get a decent night's sleep.

He wondered if Severus was in the house; perhaps he could spend the evening with him. They hadn't seen all that much of each other lately what with both of them frequently working late. Severus was caught up in his research project and hadn't been home before ten for the last week or so and when he had been around, Harry was either up to his neck in paperwork or was too tired to do little else than offer a cup of tea and make the most meagre of conversations.

He padded down the stairs and checked a couple of rooms before he found Severus in the library perusing the bookshelves. He was smartly dressed, not in his usual brewing gear, and it occurred to Harry that Severus probably had plans.

"Hi," he said, shifting into the room quietly.

"Oh hello, I didn't realise you were in the house," Severus said, casting a glance in his direction.

"I've been stuck doing paperwork. I've just come down for a break, I was wondering if you wanted to have some dinner…or perhaps go for a drink maybe?" Harry asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"I'm afraid I have a prior engagement," Severus said, replacing a book on the shelf and turning around to face Harry. "You should have said something."

"I didn't think I had to make an appointment to have dinner with my own husband," Harry said, unable to stop the note of petulance in his voice.

"Casual arrangement, remember?" Severus said, folding his arms. "No strings, your very words."

"Well yeah…and I meant it. I'm not looking for some sweeping romance," Harry said, sticking his chin out in defiance. He hated having his own words thrown back at him, and while it was true that he had meant what he'd said, it didn't mean that a little something besides sex wouldn't be nice once in a while.

"So…where are you off to?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"To see a friend," Severus replied smoothly, and something in his voice made Harry's stomach clench.

"A friend?" Harry echoed, one eyebrow arched. "Doesn't seem your kind of thing."

Severus smirked and said, "He's what I believe young people call a 'friend with benefits', exceptional benefits as a matter of fact."

"Oh," Harry said quietly, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of him. "I didn't realise you were…seeing other people."

"Well," Severus said calmly, "are you expecting me to remain faithful?"

Yes, Harry wanted to say firmly, yes I bloody well am. He couldn't though; he had promised Severus that this would be nothing but fun, that it was just a marriage in name only and that they could live separate lives. Still, he had thought that if nothing else, their sex life was enough to keep Severus interested. It rather stuck in his throat that Severus felt he had to go elsewhere to keep himself satisfied.

"No," he said eventually. "Of course not. This is…this is just a bit of fun, isn't it? What you do has absolutely nothing to do with me. I hope you have fun tonight."

Something in Severus' eyes flashed for the merest moment and Harry thought perhaps the man would stay, that they could have a pleasant evening in together. He didn't realise how much he wanted it until it seemed like a total impossibility.

"I shall. Don't wait up," Severus said, sweeping past him out of the library.

Harry watched him go, feeling more deflated than he had done in a while. He was reminded of the conversation he had had with Ron at the Ministry function a few weeks ago when his friend had asked him if he and Severus spent any time together. He hadn't thought that he needed much else besides the sex he and Severus had been enjoying, but seeing Ron and Draco together made him reconsider.

He'd put himself in this stupid situation, he'd been the one to suggest this ridiculous marriage and now he was regretting it. Why couldn't he and Severus have just embarked on a relationship like normal people? Perhaps then he and Severus could be enjoying a nice dinner together and Severus wouldn't be out shagging other people.

He tried to tell himself that it was just the fact that he was feeling so wretched about work, that it was because he was tired and fed up that was affecting him so much. As he made his way back to his bedroom alone, he knew he was failing to convince himself.

* * *

"I hate my bloody job," Draco growled as he stepped through the floo.

Ron looked up from his notes to see his husband standing in the middle of the room, dusting floo powder from his clothes. He looked shattered, his blond hair dishevelled.

"Bad day?" Ron asked, putting his work aside and getting up from the sofa to wrap Draco up in a hug.

"Long fucking day," Draco groaned into his shoulder. "Just because peering into a cauldron all day is Severus' idea of fun he thinks everyone should be thrilled by it too. He's quite happy to work all day without stopping for a drink or for lunch, and he thinks I should be prepared to work late because he does. I don't bloody get paid for working late."

"Come on, sit down. I've kept dinner warm for you," Ron said, leading the man to the sofa.

"Thank you," Draco said with a sigh, allowing himself to be taken care of.

He ate and told Ron all about the day he had had while Ron listened sympathetically. Severus was turning into a bit of bastard to work for, perhaps unsurprisingly. As Draco had said, he expected the same level of dedication that he himself exhibited, but Draco didn't want his every waking moment dictated by potions.

On the whole Ron knew that Draco enjoyed the challenge the work presented, and a regular, decent wage was long overdue after the struggles he had faced. Still, Severus' attitude grated on him and he was beginning to feel overworked and under-appreciated.

"Let me help you relax," Ron murmured after Draco had finished eating.

"I'd love to," Draco said with a tired smile, "but I'm absolutely knackered."

Ron chuckled softly and began to undo the buttons of Draco's shirt. "Not everything leads to sex," he said, letting his fingers dance over Draco's soft skin. He positioned himself behind Draco and began to knead the muscles of his neck and shoulders gently. "I'm going to help you unwind, then you're going to slip into a nice a warm bath with a glass of wine and forget all about this shitty day," he murmured into the blond's ear and he worked the tension from Draco's body.

"You're so good at this," Draco said, sounding much more relaxed than he had done moments ago.

He had done this a few times for Draco and had relished it every time. He loved having his hands on the man's body, whether it was sexual or not. He had found out quite by accident that Draco's hands were previously undiscovered erogenous zones.

The man had come home after a day of chopping and grappling with ingredients, complaining that his hands were aching, and Ron had given him a hand massage to try and help. The moans that were soon escaping Draco's lips were nothing to do with relaxation and Ron found himself on his back receiving the most spectacular blowjob he had ever had.

This time though, was strictly about helping Draco unwind, showing him that not all touches meant sex. He knew Draco knew it of course, they hugged and kissed without ending up in the bedroom, but it was important that he knew he could say no if he needed or wanted to, that Ron would respect his boundaries while still being able to touch him in a more chaste manner. He felt responsible for Draco's relationship with intimacy as he was the man's only lover, and he hoped he was cultivating a healthy attitude towards all things pertaining to sex and affection.

"That feels so good," Draco murmured as Ron worked out the kinks and knots in his neck. "I'll have to learn how to do this so I can pay you back."

"Well, actually I was already thinking of a way you might do that."

"Oh yes?" Draco said, sounding so relaxed that Ron could have asked him to run through the streets of Bath naked and he probably would have complied.

"Next weekend…there's a party at my parents' house. It's their wedding anniversary and everyone's going over there to celebrate."

"You don't want me to sing, do you?" Draco asked with a smirk.

"No, you prat," Ron said with a laugh. "I just wondered if you'd come with me."

"Of course I will," Draco said without hesitation.

Ron's hands stilled slightly, and he said, "I'd expected more resistance."

Draco turned around to face him and said with a smile, "They're your family, of course I'll be there. I'm your husband, it's only right. Besides, it sounds like fun."

"A party at my parents' house sounds like fun to you?" Ron asked sceptically.

"Spending time with you in the countryside on a sunny day with food and drink and the opportunity to forget about work sounds like fun to me. You disagree?"

No, Ron thought with a smile, he couldn't disagree with the fact that spending any time with his husband was better than he had ever thought it would be.

The weekend rolled around and the weather thankfully smiled on them. The Burrow was full with all the Weasleys as well as friends of his parents, which just happened to include Healer O'Brien, who had known his father for a number of years. Ron wasn't exactly thrilled to be seeing her outside the realms of the hospital, but he was keen for Draco to meet her, knowing that the man would make a good impression.

He couldn't help but be worried that Draco would find himself lost in a sea of Weasleys, but his family were polite and welcoming, and Draco was charm itself. Ron felt a swell of pride as he watched his husband speak to Bill about his work with Gringotts, or when he saw him laughing easily with Ginny.

He helped Molly with the dishes and acted as her sous-chef for much of the day, doing his bit to take the pressure off, making sure the guests always had full glasses of wine, or hot cups of tea. He took Victoire from Fleur who was seven months pregnant with her second child and was exhausted, grateful for the respite that Draco provided. He played with the little girl and with Teddy, who seemed thoroughly captivated by his cousin, and sought him out for the entirety of the party.

Draco seemed to have infinite patience for the little boy's enthusiasm, and Ron watched with a smile as his husband was roped into playing yet another game of hide and seek. He would never have imagined the spoilt, arrogant child he had once known could have turned into such a gentle, warm person. It felt oddly right being in his childhood home with the man, and he realised with a jolt that he wanted to repeat the occurrence.

"Here's a cold one, mate," said Harry, handing him a fresh beer.

"Cheers," said Ron, uncapping it and taking a swig. "I forgot how knackering being with the whole family can be," he said with a laugh.

"Bit full-on isn't it?" Harry said with a grin. "Still, it's been a nice day. Your parents look so happy."

"Yeah, they're still sickeningly in love all these years later."

"Won't be us eh?" Harry said with a wry smile.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked, frowning at his friend.

"Well, we're hardly going to be standing here in 30 years' time with Sev and Draco, are we?"

Ron's stomach clenched uncomfortably and he pushed the thought from his mind, taking another swig of his beer and saying, "So, Severus didn't come with you today then?"

"Nah," said Harry shaking his head. "I did ask him…but he said he was busy."

There was something about Harry's expression that told Ron perhaps his friend wasn't as lackadaisical about the situation as he had once been. "Everything ok?" he asked gently.

"Yeah…yeah fine. Just…you know…it is what it is I suppose. It's not a real marriage is it? It's not like we really need to spend any time together…and he's really busy with work and…other things."

"Other things?" Ron asked, noticing just how unhappy his friend looked.

Harry shrugged, looking down at his feet. "He…sees other people, it's no big deal."

"And…you're ok with that?" Ron asked carefully.

"We don't have a fidelity clause in the marriage contract, and he says he's discreet. Like I say, it's not a real marriage," Harry said, kicking at the stone beneath his feet with the toe of his shoe.

"Still…it must – "

"Honestly Ron, it's fine," Harry said a little too quickly. Ron knew his friend well enough to know not to push it, but he couldn't help but think that Harry was far less happy with the situation than he was letting on.

He had always been able to do casual sex a lot more easily than Ron had. After the war Harry had taken to going out to muggle clubs where he had total anonymity, going home with a different bloke every weekend. He had enjoyed it, and while Ron never judged him, he himself simply couldn't have sex that way. He needed a connection with someone before he jumped into bed with them and there, Ron sensed, might have been the problem with Harry and Severus.

There _was_ a connection there, there always had been. He knew that the underlying attraction had been the mainstay of their relationship for the last couple of years, but there was a lot of history between them, and Ron had always wondered if Harry cared a little more than he let on.

"Ok, well I'm just going to go and see if Draco needs rescuing, I haven't seen him in a while. I'll come and find you later, ok?"

Harry nodded and shuffled back inside the house, accosted by Hermione on his way. No doubt she had questions of her own to ask, although he doubted the woman would know when to let the matter lie. When it came to books, no one could rival Hermione's intelligence, but there was something slightly lacking when it came to emotional intelligence.

Ron took a quick scan of the garden and couldn't see Draco anywhere. Teddy was napping on a squishy old recliner so it was obvious that his husband wasn't being held hostage by the little boy. "Bill," he called as he passed his brother, "have you seen Draco anywhere?"

"I think I saw him heading over to the garage with Dad," Bill said as he tried to appease his crying daughter with a slice of cake.

"The garage? What the bloody hell would he be doing there?"

"I don't know mate, I'm not psychic," Bill said exasperatedly, clearly not in the position to speak to Ron at that moment.

Ron rolled his eyes and made his way around the back of the house towards the garage. The doors were open, and as he neared Ron was able to see that the car had its hood up and his father and his husband were bent over examining the inside.

"See, your hose has collapsed, it's blocking the return path to the sump. A new valve and a new hose should sort it, it's a pretty straightforward fix," he heard Draco say as he approached, and he stood in the doorway wondering if he had stumbled into an alternative universe.

"Um…everything ok?" he asked with bewildered amusement.

Both men looked up and Draco smiled, wiping his hands on the rag that Arthur passed him. "Fine, I was just taking a look at your dad's car."

"I can see that," Ron said, failing to stop a grin from working his way onto his face.

"I've taken up enough of your time Draco," Arthur said genially. "You go off and get yourself something to eat. Molly will kill me if she thinks I've stopped someone from eating themselves silly."

"Well I wouldn't want to get on Molly's bad side. Let me know when you've got those parts in and I'll come and give you a hand fitting them."

"Much appreciated," said Arthur, beaming.

Draco joined Ron and they made their way out of the garage and back towards the house. "What?" he said, unable to miss the looks Ron was sending his way.

"Since when were you a mechanic?" Ron asked in disbelief.

Draco smiled and said, "The first year after the war I picked up mostly muggle jobs, I couldn't get anything else. I worked in this muggle bar and the owner was obsessed with fixing up cars. I ended up learning a thing or two."

"Hm, why can't I get the image of you wearing overalls, covered in oil and grease out of my mind?" Ron teased.

"Because you're a raging perv," Draco said, tucking himself into Ron's side as they walked. "Well Mr Weasley, play your cards right and I might just find it in my heart to dress up for you."

"Merlin, don't get a fella's hopes up," Ron said with a groan.

"That's not all I'll get up," Draco murmured, leaning up press a kiss to Ron's jaw.

Ron tightened his arm around his husband, trying to think of an acceptable excuse that would allow them to leave the party as soon as possible.

* * *

The next few weeks passed busily for them both. Ron was snowed under with end of term exams and Draco's time was consumed with a new research project Severus was working on. They reserved Sundays for one another and their time together ranged from lounging in bed making love all day to going on day trips.

They spent most of their evenings together, Ron studying while Draco organised his research notes from his day's work. Draco had a habit of propping his feet up in Ron's lap, usually to entice the man to give him a foot rub, which Ron did without complaint. They were often both shattered in the evenings, and while many an evening went by without little more than a kiss and a cuddle, their sex life was going from strength to strength.

Draco was becoming more and more adventurous, and the first time he had employed dirty talk in the bedroom Ron's head had nearly exploded. It was easily the best sex he had ever had, and the connection he felt to Draco only served to intensify their experiences. As time went on, Ron began to think that their marriage was more real than any romantic entanglement he had had before.

"Right, I'm done with you for now," Ron told his essay, setting it aside and stretching his arms above his head. "Time for a reward," he said with a yawn, heading out of his room, intending to go to the kitchen and fix himself something sweet and potentially tooth-rotting.

He made it to the first floor and was about to descend the last staircase when he saw a light coming from underneath the library door. As he neared, he could hear soft strains of music permeating down the hall. He pushed the door open and found Draco sitting in one of the armchairs, the wireless playing quietly beside him.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" he asked as Ron came to sit in the chair next to his.

"No, I was just finishing up my essay. Decided to reward myself with a snack. Is something wrong?"

Draco sighed and ran a hand through his slightly dishevelled hair. "It's the anniversary of my father's death tomorrow," he said quietly. "It's messing my head up a little," he confessed.

"Of course it is," Ron said gently, taking his husband's hand. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't really know what to say," Draco said quietly. "I don't know how to feel about the whole thing. I'm still…so angry with him, so angry with the whole bloody situation. It would be so much easier if…if I could just hate him but it isn't as simple as that."

"I don't think relationships are ever that simple, especially between parents and children," Ron said, rubbing Draco's hand lightly.

"There are times when I _do_ hate him," Draco said, lacing his fingers through Ron's. "I hate the man he became towards the end, I hate his prejudices and the things he did…but he was still my father. A lot of the things he did were to protect me, and there were times when he could be a good father. There were also…times when he could be cruel and cold…times when I was frightened of him. It's…very complicated."

"I think it'll take you some time to work all that stuff out in your head. Difficult relationships always weigh heavily on people, but you have to remember that he was the adult, he dictated the way things were between you. Whatever faults existed between you were of his making, not yours."

Draco nodded with a sad smile. "I think I'm starting to reconcile myself to that now, I just need to try and ignore that voice in the back of my head that tells me it was my fault for not being good enough. I was never really the son he wanted, but I think he tried to love me…in his own way."

"Are you angry with him for taking his own life?" Ron asked gently, and Draco appeared to consider the question for a moment.

"Yes…I suppose I am. I'm angry with him for leaving me, for chucking me out into the world with no idea how to survive in it and then just…abandoning me. There are so many things I want to say to him, but I'll never get the chance to. I think it's that what messes me up the most. If he was alive…there's a chance that we could mend things or that I could get some answers from him. With him gone…there's no way of getting past some things."

"He might never have been able to give you the answers you want. He might never have been able to be the father you deserved."

"No," said Draco sadly, "but having some hope is always better than having none." He paused and turned Ron's hand over in his lap, running his fingers over the lines and ridges of his palm. "The last couple of years have been hard enough without having his death to contend with as well. I lived in hostels and cheap B&Bs for so long until I could afford a room at the Leaky Cauldron. I worked hard, dead-end jobs and quite literally got my hands dirty trying to scrape a living together. If it wasn't for him, and the stupid mistakes he made my life would be very different."

He looked up at Ron, his grey eyes searching his face until he gave him a soft smile. "I wouldn't be here if it _was_ different. I wouldn't be in your life, in your bed. I think perhaps all the crap I went through was worth it to be your husband…if only for a little while," he said, and Ron felt an uncomfortable knot twist in his stomach, as it always did when anyone reminded him that his marriage to Draco wasn't meant to be permanent.

"Come on," he said, getting up and giving Draco's hand a tug. "Let's get you into bed, you'll catch your death sitting like this."

Draco allowed himself to be pulled to his feet and he snuggled into Ron's hold as they left the library and walked slowly up the staircase. When they got to Draco's room, the blond nuzzled Ron's neck and murmured, "Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Of course," Ron said as they made their way over to the bed.

They undressed and slid under the covers together, Draco cuddling up to Ron while Ron wrapped him up in protective embrace. Draco pillowed his head on Ron's chest, shivering slightly as it took the bed a little while to warm up. Ron stroked Draco's soft hair as he held him, revelling in the feeling of every inch of Draco's body being pressed against his own.

He loved the fact that he could give Draco comfort, that Draco trusted him enough to let himself be vulnerable. He didn't care what people thought, what this marriage was meant to be originally, every time he held his husband or made love to him, their relationship felt realer than anything Ron had experienced in his life.

Draco fell asleep wrapped up in Ron's protective hold, nestled snugly against his chest. Ron continued to run his fingers through the blond locks as he stared up at the canopy of the bed, considering his growing feelings for the man in his arms.

When he woke up, he was on his side, Draco pulled up snugly to his chest. He nuzzled the patch of skin behind the man's ear and couldn't help but rub his morning erection against the man's backside. He felt Draco stir, pressing his body more firmly against Ron's, and Ron leant down to press gentle kisses to the man's neck and shoulder.

Draco gave a soft little hum of pleasure and reached for Ron's hand, guiding it down until it brushed softly over his erection. Ron teased the hard length, running his fingers up and down it, knowing how Draco loved such soft touches to tempt him into arousal.

"You want me inside you, baby?" he whispered into the man's ear, and Draco shuddered with delight.

"God yes," Draco murmured back as Ron's hand moved to rub one firm arse cheek before dipping to stroke his cleft. A whispered charm and his fingers were coated with lube. He moved them to Draco's entrance, the man lifting his leg to give Ron better access, and Ron dipped inside the tight body.

He prepared Draco slowly as he continued to press kisses to every inch of flesh within his reach. Draco pushed back against his fingers, moaning softly, his pleasure growing through the sleepy morning haze he was still wrapped in. Ron coated his hard prick and guided it inside the willing body that was waiting for him.

His thrusts were languid, the position on their sides enabling him to go fairly deep with minimal effort. They were both still muzzily sleep-addled, enjoying the slow build of pleasure. Ron's hand reached for Draco's cock again and he wrapped a lubricated hand around it, his strokes matching the slow, gentle thrusts he was making.

There was no rush, no need to chase towards completion, they simply enjoyed the feeling of being joined in the most intimate way possible, delightful sensations rolling through them with each movement of hips or press of flesh. Ron closed his eyes as he buried himself deeply in Draco's body, loving how they fit together, how every time he made love to Draco it felt different and yet familiar.

Draco's breathing sped up and Ron thrust a little deeper, increasing the pressure of his hand around the man's prick. He felt his pleasure grow, felt the delicious coil of anticipation tighten in his stomach as Draco began to clench around him. Draco's soft little moans told him he was close and after Ron teased the head of cock a couple of times with his thumb, he was soon coming with a gasp of pleasure.

Ron gripped Draco's hip and thrust hard a few times then came too, feeling the pleasure crash through him. There was much to be said for passionate, heated sex, but the wonderful build of an orgasm through slow, lazy sex was one of the best ways to start a day.

He withdrew slowly from Draco's body, casting a cleaning charm as went. Draco turned around in his arms and smiled lazily up at him. "Morning," he said, his voice husky.

"Good morning," Ron replied, mirroring the smile.

"I've just remembered that it's Sunday," Draco said, reaching up and running his fingertips over Ron's cheeks.

"You're quite right Mr Malfoy. How do you intend to spend the day?" Ron asked, taking in the flush of spent pleasure on Draco's face.

"I want to spend it forgetting about everything else but you. I want to tease you with my mouth, I want to take your cock to the back of my throat and make your eyes roll backwards with pleasure. I want your hands all over me, I want your big, hard cock inside me as I ride you, taking you deeper and deeper inside me. I want to spend the whole day making you think of nothing else but me," Draco said, his eyes shining beautifully.

"Why would I want to think of anything else but you?" Ron asked, his voice slightly hoarse with desire, Draco's words igniting a delicious spark of passion in him. "I could spend the rest of my life making love to you."

"I'll hold you to that," Draco murmured, leaning up to meet Ron's lips in a slow and sensual kiss. Ron could think of nothing better than spending the day lost in his husband.

* * *

 **AN:** Well it seems that Harry's idea is working out a lot better for Ron than for Harry himself...we'll have to wait and see for the final chapter it that's the case. I hope you enjoyed this one, drop me a review and let me know.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"You're sure you won't come?" Harry asked, buttoning his shirt and looking over at Severus, who had his nose buried in a dusty old potions tome.

"I have a lot to do, please convey my apologies to them," Severus replied, not looking up.

Harry sighed, wishing he could push the feeling of rejection from his mind. "Look, I was thinking – it might be nice to get away for the weekend, I quite fancy spending a bit of time down by the coast, maybe Cornwall. We could find a nice B&B or a cottage to rent…what do you think?"

Severus looked up with a frown. "You want us to go away together?" he asked, as though baffled by the concept.

"Well, I thought it might be nice. We _are_ married," Harry said, trying not to sound too petulant.

"Harry," Severus said, closing the book but keeping his thumb on the page he'd been reading, "I'm really very busy at the moment. I don't really have time to go swanning off to Cornwall."

"Ok," Harry said dejectedly. "Never mind, it was just a thought. I'll see you later if you're still up."

Severus had already turned his attention back to the book and Harry apparated away, knowing that Severus wouldn't even notice he'd gone. He arrived around the corner from Ron's place and walked with his hands in pockets until he arrived at their front door.

"Harry, come in," Draco said with a smile as he let him in. "Severus not with you?"

"No, no he said to send his apologies, he's very busy."

He was grateful that Draco didn't smile sympathetically at him, simply nodded as though he had expected as much. He followed the man into the kitchen, where Ron was peering into a pot of something on the stove.

"I've already told you to keep your hands off that," Draco said, moving over to him and swatting him out of the way.

"I'm helping," Ron protested. "And it is my mum's recipe after all!"

"Yes, your mum's recipe that she gave to _me_ because you couldn't be trusted with it," Draco replied, and Harry watched as Ron wrapped his arms around Draco's waist while the man continued to stir, whispering something in his ear that had him laughing and telling Ron he was an idiot.

"Can I get you a drink mate?" Ron asked, finally releasing Draco and gesturing for Harry to take a seat.

"Don't get too comfy," Draco instructed, "we're having a proper sit-down meal in the dining room. I've bought new crockery."

"There was nothing wrong with the stuff I had before," Ron protested.

Draco rolled his eyes. "You're so uncouth. I don't know why I put up with you."

"Oh yes you do," said Ron, wiggling his eyebrows at him. Draco blushed but smiled nevertheless, turning his attention back to the food.

Ron handed Harry a beer and sat down opposite him, his eyes flickering back up to Draco before he asked Harry, "How's work going?"

Harry sighed and said, "I think I hate it with every fibre of my being. I'm considering…handing in my notice. I can't get up every morning thinking of ways I can avoid going to my job."

"What would you do instead?"

"McGonagall keeps offering me the DADA job. I think I might take it, teaching really appeals to me."

"Wow, that's a big step mate. What does Severus think about it?" Ron asked.

"I haven't spoken to him about it. I doubt he'd be very interested," Harry said, taking a swig of his beer to avoid the look he knew Ron was sending his way. "How are things with you two anyway?" he asked, wanting to get off the topic of his miserable life.

"Fine," said Ron with a smile. "We're going to go away for a week after my final exams. I can't bloody wait."

"Oh," said Harry, painfully reminded of the conversation he had only just had with Severus. "That's nice, where are you going?"

"Somewhere with a beach and where I can be pampered to within an inch of my life," Draco said, standing behind Ron and running his hands along his shoulders.

"Spoilt brat," Ron murmured, tilting his head up as Draco leant down to brush his lips softly.

Harry looked away, peeling the label on his beer bottle. He had never imagined that Ron and Draco would be so happy together, but the fact that they were so obviously in love with one another only served to make him feel thoroughly dissatisfied with his own situation. It wasn't that he wasn't happy for his friend, and this whole stupid marriage thing was his idea after all, but what he had with Severus was so far removed from Ron and Draco's relationship that it rather stuck in his throat.

They migrated into the dining room and the conversation turned to Ron's training as a Healer. He was on track to graduate with honours and his supervisor had offered him a position in the further training programme. While he was slightly hesitant about continuing in the world of studying, he was keen to specialise in rehabilitation and could learn around his job.

"At least you won't have to deal with that prick Josh anymore," said Draco as he topped their wine up.

"Ugh so true, he gets on my bloody wick," Ron growled. "Did I tell you that – "

"Yes, you told me all about the dispensary nightmare. In fact, you spent all of last Friday telling me about it," said Draco with an indulgent smile as he ran his hand through Ron's hair. "I was hanging on your every word."

"Prat," Ron said, taking Draco's hand and pressing a kiss to his knuckles.

They were so in tune with one another, Harry thought as he sipped his wine. Draco knew everything about the people on Ron's course, the friends he had made, the people who pissed him off. He knew the problems Ron had faced with his studies, the topic of every essay he'd written and the patients he had made connections with.

Ron knew all about Draco's work with Severus and could practically recite all of Draco's gripes and complaints by heart. They embellished and finished each other's stories and the looks that passed between them across the dinner table were impossible to miss. Ron had a particular smile that settled on his lips when Draco was saying something funny, and Draco had an expression of exasperated fondness when Ron teased him.

If anyone watched them with one another they would never know that they had married for convenience, that it had all been arranged like a business deal with no love involved whatsoever. Anyone would think that they were a real married couple, which, as Harry considered it, he realised was exactly what they were. He wondered if they realised they were in love with one another, surely no one could be that dense?

They were good together really, Harry supposed. Draco was a very different person these days; he was self-sufficient and hard-working, his previous arrogance seemingly eradicated. He and Ron were so affectionate with one another, they touched each other so naturally and those touches were often simple shows of warmth rather than anything sexual.

He didn't have anything like that with Severus. The only touches they had always revolved around sex. There had been so many times that he wanted to stay with Severus after a particularly vigorous session, but Severus always made it clear that when they were done he wanted to sleep alone. Harry had always thought that their sex life was heated and passionate, but lately he'd begun to think of it as nothing more than something clinical.

He wanted a connection with Severus. He wanted to talk to him about work, he wanted to discuss things with him and have private jokes that only made sense to the two of them. He wanted more than a quick fuck every now and again and passing each other in the corridors when they happened to be home at the same time. He wanted what Ron and Draco had, he wanted a marriage.

It wasn't going to happen though, was it? Severus didn't want that. He wanted casual sex whenever he felt like, and what was worse, he wanted it with other people too. Harry hated the thought of sharing him with anyone else and he hated the fact that he didn't seem to be enough for the man.

He left Ron and Draco's feeling more down about the situation than he had done in a while. He did his best to hide it, but when Ron hugged him goodbye, he could tell that his friend wanted to say something. Thankfully he refrained from doing so and Harry was allowed to leave without enduring looks of concern, or even worse – pity.

Severus was in the kitchen when he arrived home, pouring himself a glass of whisky. He had divested himself of his outer robe and was in trousers and a plain shirt, the sleeves rolled up.

"Drink?" Severus offered as Harry hovered in the doorway.

"No, I'm fine thanks," Harry said quietly.

"Well then, how do you fancy a different kind of nightcap?" Severus asked, moving towards Harry with a familiar glint in his eye. He snaked an arm around Harry's waist and pulled him closer, dropping his head to kiss along Harry's jaw.

"I'm kind of tired actually," Harry said, releasing himself from Severus' hold. Severus frowned but moved back to the table to his drink, saying,

"Off you go to bed then."

"I was actually…could we talk?" Harry asked, rubbing the back of his neck agitatedly.

"If we must, I suppose. Is something the matter?" Severus asked, swilling his whisky around in the glass.

Harry took a deep breath and tried to steady his nerves. He didn't want to say what he was about to, but he couldn't see another way to remedy the situation. "I think…I think perhaps it's time that we called time on our marriage. It's served its purpose, I don't see much point in continuing."

"What's brought this on?" Severus asked, his expression guarded.

"I just…don't think I can do it anymore. The whole thing…it's making me really unhappy."

"I don't understand," Severus said, and Harry rather suspected that that was the problem.

"I want more than what we have," Harry said, hating how vulnerable his admission made him. "I want more than empty sex up against the wall, more than an empty house night after night with no one to talk to. I want someone to share my life with, someone who doesn't kick me out of bed the second he's come. I know that none of this is your fault, this whole marriage thing was my idea and it was never meant to be anything more than a show for the public, but now…it's not enough."

"I see," Severus said, lowering his glass and fixing Harry with a hard stare. "I'm not enough for you."

"What we have isn't enough for me," Harry corrected. " _I'm_ the one who isn't enough for you. You're the one who goes out and fucks other people because I can't give you everything you need, and, let's be honest, you can't give me what I need."

"And what exactly would that be?" Severus asked smoothly.

"I've just told you!" Harry said, beginning to feel frustrated. How the hell could Severus feel he had the right to act like the injured party? "I want a real marriage. I want to be able to talk to you, I want to know about your work, and for you to know about mine. I want to go out to dinner with you or visit friends together. I want to be able to laugh with you and for you to touch me just because you want to, not because it'll lead to you shagging me. I want…" he trailed off, horrified when he felt tears start to prickle his eyes, "I want you to make love to me…not just fuck me."

Severus said nothing, merely stayed seated, his arms folded as he looked at Harry as though he was an ingredient for inspection. There was no point, Harry realised, his heart thudding uncomfortably. He was chasing after something that didn't exist, something that had no hope of existing and he couldn't stay in that room humiliating himself any longer.

"I…I'm going to bed," he said, cursing the wobble in his voice, fighting to stop his tears from falling.

"This was what you wanted," Severus said, his voice hard, stopping Harry as he was about to turn and leave the room. "You said it – no strings attached, you weren't looking for happily ever after."

"I said it because I thought that's what you wanted to hear!" Harry said, struggling to remember a time when he had felt so wretched. "I didn't really see you as the kind of guy that was big on commitment and I'd hardly been the poster boy for relationships when we got married. I thought it would just be easier if I didn't put any pressure on you, if it was just casual. Don't tell me you wanted anything more than that because I know you didn't."

"You know the inner workings of my mind so intimately, do you?" Severus asked, his voice soft and low.

"No," Harry said, looking up to meet his eyes. "I don't think I have a clue about your mind."

"Then please be so good as to refrain from making assumptions," Severus said fiercely, getting up from his chair and moving to stand in front of Harry. "You foolish man," he whispered before leaning down and sweeping Harry up in the most intense kiss he had ever experienced.

He felt himself transported somewhere by magic, and it was only when he felt himself being lowered to his own bed that he realised where he was. Severus' hands were at his clothes, peeling them away slowly, layer by layer, and Harry could focus on little else but each second as it unfolded.

Severus was being so gentle and yet Harry felt overwhelmed by it, swept along the sensation of Severus' hands and lips teasing him, tasting him slowly and tenderly. "You're so beautiful, you know," Severus whispered against his skin. "I don't think anyone's ever told you that, but you should know that it's the truth. I've never felt luckier than when you were beneath me," he murmured against Harry's throat, and Harry couldn't quite process what he was hearing.

Gentle hands roved over his body and Severus' naked body was being pressed against his own, feeling closer somehow than they had been before. Harry arched up against him, wondering how it was possible for Severus to be this tender. The pace was slow but Severus was still managing to chase away all thoughts but what he was doing.

Harry felt himself being prepared, long fingers breaching him slowly, carefully as Severus plundered his mouth with the most sensual kiss of his life. He felt as though Severus was trying to rob him of all rational thought, and Harry could hardly bother fighting against it. He moaned as those dexterous fingers brushed against his prostate, and Severus moved his lips to Harry's throat, murmuring,

"So responsive, you're absolutely delicious."

"Oh God Severus, please," Harry moaned, feeling his arousal perched on the edge of a knife. Before he could fully register it, Severus was pushing inside him slowly, capturing his lips again in a soft, delicate kiss.

Harry groaned, overwhelmed by the intrusion, never having been taken this way before. Severus rocked gently with small, shallow thrusts, teasing Harry by not giving him exactly what he wanted. He thrust a little deeper, rocking his hips with a measured rhythm, making Harry feel every inch of him as he took him in as deep as he could go.

It was the most beautiful sensation and Harry couldn't believe he had gone his whole adult life without anyone ever making love to him. It was glorious, it was amazing, he had never felt this before and he had never imagined that Severus could be the one to show him such an all-consuming experience.

His pleasure was building slowly but powerfully, the situation contributing to it as much as the physical act itself. Things weren't as hopeless as he had imagined them to be, Severus didn't want to just use him and forget about him, he was taking his time to make Harry's body feel things it had never felt before. He gripped Severus' shoulders, moaning softly as he felt his orgasm creep up, the feeling intensifying the harder Severus pushed.

"Oh yes…yes!" Harry breathed, wrapping his legs around Severus' waist and holding him as tightly as he could. "Oh God…Severus yes," he cried as he came hard, feeling tears prick his eyes as the whole thing washed through him with force.

"So beautiful," Severus whispered as he continued to thrust under his body shuddered, releasing itself deep inside Harry.

Harry felt somehow distraught that it had ended, that at some point Severus would have to withdraw from his body and they might never have another night like it again.

"Ssh," Severus soothed, and Harry realised he was crying, his breath coming in harsh, ragged sobs.

"Severus…I – "

"It's ok," Severus whispered. He slipped slowly from Harry's body and muttered a cleaning charm as he gathered him up into his arms. "Sleep."

"You're not…not leaving?" Harry murmured into the man's chest.

He felt fingers tease through his hair and his eyes fluttered closed. He felt safe, protected and as he began to drift off he realised that he had never fallen asleep in someone else's arms before.

* * *

"Stop that," Draco said with a laugh as Ron continued to run his hands over his backside. "We're supposed to be sharing a shower to save time, we're already in danger of being late."

"Just a quickie," Ron murmured into his ear.

"We spent the morning have a succession of 'quickies', hence why we're running behind schedule," Draco said, turning around in Ron's arms and running his hands through the soap across the man's chest.

"You were so fucking hot," Ron said as he worried the soft skin of Draco's throat with his teeth. "I love it when you talk dirty."

Draco blushed and dipped his head with a smile. "I can't help myself, you just…bring it out of me."

"I love hearing you say all those delicious things. They sound so fucking filthy coming from your mouth, I love hearing you beg me to fuck you."

"Oh Ron," Draco groaned. "Stop it now, I am not risking your mother's ire by being late to lunch."

"Oh we won't be missed," Ron said, trying his best to persuade his husband.

"It's in your bloody honour you great pillock," Draco said with a laugh. "Now that you're a fully qualified Healer, your family want to celebrate!"

"No, my mother wants an excuse to spend the whole day mooning over her new granddaughter," Ron argued, letting his hands rove back down to Draco's firm backside.

"I'm not getting on your mother's bad side for anyone, Mr Weasley. I'm her favourite son-in-law," Draco said imperiously.

"You're her only son-in-law," Ron said with a laugh.

"Well then I win by default. Now come on, rinse your hair and get out," Draco said, washing the last of the soap from his body and stepping out of the shower before Ron could grab him and pull him back in.

"Meanie," Ron groused as he did as instructed and finished washing, yanking off the water and stepping out. "Thanks," he said as Draco handed him a towel. He dried himself off and tied the towel around his waist, watching as Draco stood in front of the mirror and combed his wet hair.

The morning had indeed been rather athletic and Ron couldn't stop himself from smiling as he thought of all the things they had got up to. Draco seemed to have migrated into his bedroom on an almost permanent basis. He couldn't remember the last time they had slept apart, and while they were often too tired for anything to happen, Ron loved falling asleep with the man in his arms.

He moved behind his husband and wrapped his arms around his waist, nuzzling his nose through the damp strands of hair. "You're so beautiful," he whispered into his ear, loving the blush that followed.

"Sweet talk will get you nowhere, I'm not giving in to you," Draco said, running his hands over Ron's arms.

"It's true," Ron insisted, holding him a little tighter. "I can't take my eyes off you."

"Or your hands," Draco laughed, looking embarrassed but pleased by Ron's words.

Ron kissed Draco's shoulder and murmured, "Can I ask you a question? It's quite personal."

Draco turned around to lean against the sink, looking up at Ron as he said, "What do you want to ask me?"

"Feel free to tell me to piss off, it's none of my business after all, I was just wondering…why you'd never slept with anyone before me."

"Ah," said Draco, as though he had been expecting the question for some time.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked, you don't have to tell me," Ron said, shaking his head.

"No, no it's ok. It's not like we have any secrets anyway," Draco said with a smile. He took a deep breath and said, "A few months after the war I met this guy and we went on a couple of dates. It was looking promising and I decided that I wanted to sleep with him. Anyway, we were in this bar one night and I went to go and get some drinks, when I came back to the table I heard him talking to his friends about the bet they all had going about how long it would him to get me in the sack."

"Oh love, I'm sorry," Ron said, feeling a fierce surge of indignation on Draco's behalf.

Draco sighed and said, "After that I was pretty hesitant about things but I thought that maybe I'd be better off looking for someone in the muggle world, somewhere where no one knew me. I met someone one night in the pub I was working at and we ended up going back to his place. He got…kind of aggressive."

"Did he hurt you?" Ron asked, his stomach clenching.

"No," Draco said, shaking his head. "I stunned him, obliviated him and got the hell out of there. I decided that clearly sex wasn't for me and I just forgot about it…until you," he said with a smile.

"I'm glad I could be the one to – "

"So am I," Draco said in a soft whisper, pulling himself up to press a gentle kiss to Ron's lips. Ron held him close, feeling overwhelmed by the things he felt for the man.

They were the last ones to arrive at the Burrow, and Draco wasted no time in letting Molly know that it was all Ron's fault. Thankfully he didn't apprise her of the reason, but Ron whispered to him that he would most certainly be paying for dropping him in it.

The big family lunch was indeed being held to celebrate Ron becoming a full-qualified Healer and he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride as his family toasted him. He had worked his arse off for the last three years and to finally be able to call himself a Healer was extraordinary. There was still a lot more hard work for him on the horizon as he entered the post-graduate programme to specialise in rehabilitation, but he knew it would all be worth it.

He was surprised to see that Severus had accompanied Harry to the family lunch, and his friend looked happier than he had seen him in a long time. He and Severus sat next to one another at the dinner table, and every so often Severus' hand would come to rest on Harry's knee or Harry would lean over and whisper something to the man that had him nodding and smiling. It seemed like a drastic shift had taken place in their relationship, and Ron fully intended to get the full story from his friend when they got a moment alone together.

The day passed happily and there was much cooing and fussing over Bill and Fleur's new daughter, who, even Ron had to admit was rather adorable. Draco was dragged out to the garage to take a look at another problem with Arthur's car, and Ron had murmured something about overalls and grease as Draco went, causing his husband to blush prettily.

As the afternoon wore on, Ron found himself stretched out on a recliner while Draco was commandeered by Victoire to play hide and seek with her. The sounds of laughter and chatter filled the air and Ron smiled as a feeling of contentment washed over him.

"Wipe that stupid grin off your face," Harry said as he sat down next to him.

"Make me," Ron said affably.

"Congratulations on qualifying, mate. We're all so proud of you."

"Thanks. It's been a bit of a long road at times, but I'm so glad I've finally made it."

They clinked their glasses together and grinned at one another, then sat in a companionable silence for a while until Ron decided to broach the topic he wanted to talk about. "So, you and Severus. Things seem…different between you."

To his surprise, Harry blushed. "Yeah…yeah they are. We've um…we've decided to give things a go, properly I mean. I suppose…I suppose we're going to try dating and see what happens. I'm going to take the job at Hogwarts and he's going to live at Grimmauld for the time being. We're going to see each other at weekends and…try to be something that resembles a normal couple."

"That's great Harry, I'm really pleased for you," Ron said with a smile.

"Well…it might all end in tears, but I really want to try…so does he." He cast a glance back towards the house and said, "I'd better go and see if Hermione's cornered him. He told me in no uncertain terms that if she talked _at_ him for more than ten minutes at a time he'd do unspeakably painful things to me."

"I thought you liked that kind of thing," Ron said with a smirk.

"He assures me I won't," Harry said, pushing himself off the rickety old chair. Ron watched him go with a smile, pleased that Harry seemed to be happier than he had been for months.

He stayed in the sunshine for a little while longer, then decided to follow Harry's suit and see if his husband needed rescuing. He found him in the sitting room talking to Fleur, the new baby nestled into the crook of his arm.

"She's so beautiful," Ron heard him say as he hovered in the doorway watching them.

Draco smiled down at the little girl, rocking her gently as he continued to talk to Fleur. Ron watched, captivated by how beautiful Draco looked, and he found himself wondering what Draco would look like holding their own child.

He could just imagine his husband holding a baby with strawberry blond hair and pale skin, large blue eyes looking up at him as he soothed their son or daughter to sleep. He suddenly felt himself doused with a cold shock of reality as he realised that his imaginings were ridiculous. Their marriage was temporary, they both knew that, and sooner or later it would have to come to an end.

Things were good between them, that was true, but Draco was probably just making the best of the situation, as they had always agreed to. Eventually they would have to go their separate ways, and Ron's thoughts of the children they might have were ludicrous.

The thought of Draco no longer being in his life was thoroughly hideous, and he felt a wave of nausea creep over him as he considered what his bed would feel like without the blond in it. He'd be left to rattle around his empty house all on his own with no happy conversations to while away the evenings with, no more shared showers or shared laughter over the breakfast table.

He managed to plaster a smile onto his face just as Draco looked up, but he doubted it was very convincing. He felt like he'd taken a punch to the gut and he was sure it showed on his face. He declined a cuddle with the baby and excused himself to go and help his mother with the washing up, his mind going over all the things he was trying to forget about.

"Ah, what a day, I'm shattered!" said Draco as they arrived back home later that evening. "Fancy a coffee?"

"Yeah sure," he mumbled as he took a seat on the sofa.

"Good, then we can look through those holiday brochures. You promised me we could book something this week and I'm holding you to it."

"Ok, fine," he said, not really paying attention to what Draco was saying.

"Something wrong?" Draco asked, taking a seat next to him.

"Hm? No, no I'm just a bit worn out I suppose. Busy day. You…said something about…about the holiday?" he said, trying to snap himself out of it.

Draco looked at him for a moment, then a slow, small smile made its way onto his lips. "Do you think I didn't notice the way you looked at me when I was holding the baby today? Do you really think I don't know what you were thinking when you were standing there?" he asked softly.

"I – " Ron began, feeling a humiliated blush creep up his neck.

"Don't you think I thought about it too?" Draco asked, his eyes shining. "Don't you think I imagined what it would be like standing with you while I held our baby?"

"Drake…this is…I mean our marriage isn't – "

"Isn't what? Isn't real?" Draco asked, then moved to sit astride Ron's lap, straddling him as he looked down at him. "What doesn't feel real to you, Ron? The way we know every little detail about each other's lives? The way we make our decisions with each other in mind? The way we make love?" he asked gently.

"This was never meant to be anything more than – "

"A publicity stunt?" Draco asked with a smile. "Who cares how it started? Look at where we are now. Do you really think I have any intention of leaving you? You think I'm stupid enough to give up a man who makes me laugh, who comforts me, who makes my whole body sing with pleasure? Why the hell would I want to leave a man who is gorgeous and gentle, who took his time to show me how amazing sex could be, who just has to walk into a room and I can feel my body responding to him?"

Draco ran his hand through Ron's hair, then traced one long finger down the man's nose and over his cheek. "You'd have to drag me out of here kicking and screaming. I'm not going anywhere, not when I have a husband that I'm so completely in love with."

"Drake," Ron whispered, feeling his chest constrict tightly. Draco pressed a finger to his lips then leant down and kissed him soundly. In a very short space of time, Ron's world consisted of nothing but his husband and the wonderful things he was making him feel.

* * *

 _Epilogue_

"Am I getting paid for this?" Ron growled as he swung a sledgehammer at a portion of wall that was refusing to come down.

"Oh shut up. You owe me for all the work I helped you do on your place," Harry said, shaking the brick dust from his hair. "I reckon another month and we'll have this place habitable."

"That's incredibly optimistic," Ron said wryly, taking a look at the empty shell of a cottage they were standing in. "I still can't believe you've convinced Severus to move out to the sticks."

"It was his idea!" Harry protested. "He's fed up with living in the city. Besides, he can still commute to the lab every day, and I can floo to Hogwarts. It's perfect."

"Look at that grin on your face," Ron teased, leaning on the sledgehammer. "You and Severus living in wedded bliss, it's unbelievable."

"We've worked bloody hard enough at it," Harry said with a sigh. "There were times when I didn't think we'd get there, when it just would have been easier to call it a day. The simple fact is that we love one another, we make more sense together than apart."

"Come on then, love's young dream. Let's call it a day and go back to mine. This bloody place of yours will still be here to knock to pieces tomorrow."

Harry cast an eye about the place, noting the progress they had made and said, "Yeah fair enough. I don't want to get it in the neck from your bloody husband for being late for dinner."

Ron nodded sagely. "He's learning from my mother, I swear. He's so obviously her favourite in-law. Actually, I think she prefers him over most of her actual children."

"Who could blame her?" Harry asked with a grin, then apparated from the spot to avoid the thump that was inevitably coming his way.

Ron rolled his eyes and dusted himself down, knowing that his husband would kill him if he dragged dust in through their house. Everyone was in the living room when he arrived, Severus standing next to Harry with a three-year-old balanced on his hip.

"Have you got a cuddle for Daddy?" Ron asked as he took his son from Severus, covering him in kisses.

"Daddy! No, that tickles!" the little boy laughed as Draco came over to greet Ron with a kiss.

"You're filthy. Unhand my son before you cover him in brick dust!" Draco said, taking the little boy and positioning him on his hip. "Isn't Daddy a mess? We shouldn't let him in the house, should we?"

"This is the product of a day's hard labour I'll have you know. Look, Severus doesn't seem to mind it," he said, gesturing to the man, who had his arms wrapped around Harry's waist, his chin resting on the man's shoulder.

"He would if his pride and joy was in danger of getting a lungful of mould!" Draco said, smoothing his son's strawberry blond hair. "Tell Daddy what you did today, Ethan."

The little boy beamed over at Ron and said proudly, "I helped Pa and Uncle Severus with their potion."

"Is that a fact?" Ron asked, wrapping his husband and his son up in a big hug, partly because he wanted to, and party to annoy Draco by covering him in dirt.

"Go and clean yourself up!" Draco instructed, extricating himself and Ethan from Ron's clutches and glaring across at Harry. "You too! Or neither of you will be allowed anything to eat. Severus, come and watch over Ethan while I finish up dinner. We expect the two of you in the dining room in ten minutes," he told Ron and Harry as he and Severus left the room, Ethan grabbing hold of Severus' hand as they went.

Dinner was a lively affair, with Ethan commanding much of their attention as they ate. Severus and Harry went over the plans for the cottage, Ron groaning that he was the one expected to do most of the hard work as Harry was next to useless.

Ron was helping out at the weekends, Harry very grateful for any time the man could spare as he was busy with his work as a Healer, especially as he was working towards promotion. He had been working in the field of rehabilitation for nearly five years now and loved every second of it. He was working to be made head of the department, and no one was prouder of him than his husband.

Draco was still working with Severus, although the arrangement was a lot more balanced than it had been previously. Molly often looked after Ethan during the day and sometimes Draco was able to work from home and could keep Ethan with him.

Harry and Severus had decided against children, at least for the time being, but they were proud and attentive godparents to Ethan, and the little boy adored them both. He was particularly fascinated by Severus, and he followed the man wherever he went.

Harry and Severus' marriage had hit a couple of rocky patches over the years. Neither of them were particularly good at communicating, and feelings had often been hurt because of misunderstandings or a failure to say what they really needed. They were both committed to making it work though, and they had come through it stronger as a couple because of it.

Harry was far happier in his work as a teacher than he had ever been as an auror. He had been offered the position of Head of Gryffindor, but had turned it down as it meant he would have to live in the castle full-time. Whatever choices either he or Severus made, these days it was always with their marriage as their priority.

"I think he's finally settled," Ron said as he crawled into bed next to Draco later that night. "I had to read that bloody Brambly Hedge book three times but he drifted off eventually."

"If you're looking for sympathy from me then you're barking up the wrong tree. It took me two hours to get him settled last night, you got off light," Draco said as Ron wrapped him up in his arms.

They lay cuddled together, Ron running his fingers through Draco's hair, enjoying the peace of the moment. "Do you like the name Naomi?" Draco asked eventually, his voice breaking through the silence.

"That's a pretty bizarre question, love. I can't say I've ever given it much thought," Ron said, wondering if his husband was losing it.

"Well, how about Caitlin?"

"What are you going on about?"

"Well," said Draco, taking one of Ron's hands and guiding it down to his stomach, "I think we need to have something to call her when she's born."

Ron blinked down at his husband, then his eyes flickered to the hand resting on the pale, smooth abdomen. "Drake…are you…"

Draco nodded with a beautiful smile. "Ten weeks along," he whispered, and Ron felt his heart swell with elation.

"Oh my God, honey are you ok? Is everything ok with the baby? How do you know it will be a girl, isn't it too soon to tell?" Ron asked, his questions coming out in a jumble.

Draco laughed and wound his arms around the man's neck, saying, "I'm fine, clean bill of health from the doctor. Yes it's too early but I just have a feeling. I was right with Ethan, wasn't I?"

"You're always right sweetheart," Ron said, rubbing his hand over Draco's stomach. "You've already given me one beautiful child and now you're going to give me another. You're incredible," he murmured.

"Well, this time I'd quite like it if you didn't barge into the delivery room and push the midwife out of the way, declaring that you're going to deliver the baby yourself because everyone else is an incompetent moron."

Ron laughed and said, "I can't make any promises, not when it comes to you. I love you," he said softly, leaning down to meet Draco's lips in a gentle kiss. "You know, I really must thank Harry for that daft idea he suggested all those years ago."

"Excuse me, marrying me was a daft idea?"

"The daftest and best thing I have ever done."

* * *

 **AN:** I genuinely surprised myself with that ending, I've always hated m-preg...I don't know what got into me!

Anyway folks, I hope you enjoyed the story. Please leave a review and let me know.


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